Washington Square News February 4, 2019

5 CULTURE

9 OPINION

Sparking Joy: NYU Students Tidy Up

The Changing Face of Journalism

7 ARTS

Patriots Defeat Rams 13-3 in Super Snoozefest

10 SPORTS

Terrance Hayes Talks Trump, Teaching at NYU VOLUME LII | ISSUE 2

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

NYU Lies to Graduate Students About Healthcare Plan

NYU repeatedly claimed a New York State agency required them to consolidate two healthcare plans — at students’ expense.

The agency told WSN the requirement does not exist.

VICTOR PORCELLI | WSN

NYU consolidated the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan with its Comprehensive plan, and now some graduate students have higher co-pays and less coverage on its insurance plans. The New York State Department of Financial Services told WSN that this was not a requirement, even though the university informed graduate students multiple times that it was.

By VICTOR PORCELLI News Editor Last summer, over 1,000 students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences were notified that they would face higher co-pays and less coverage under NYU’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan. They were told by multiple administrators that the New York State Department of Financial Services required it.

However, according to a spokesperson at the Department of Financial Services, this is untrue and

the decision to consolidate the plans was made exclusively by NYU and its health insurance company.

Before the consolidation, fully-funded graduate students in GSAS under the Henry M. MacCracken program had access to the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan, with access being offered to their dependents — including children and spouses — at a subsidized rate. On June 20, Executive Director of the Student Health Center Dr. Carlo Ciotoli and Dean of GSAS Phillip Harper sent out similar emails notifying these students that beginning in fall 2018, GSHIP would be consolidated

with one of NYU’s other student health insurance offerings, called the Comprehensive Plan.

“The New York State Department of Financial Services has required NYU to consolidate two of its student health insurance plans — the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan, or GSHIP (in which you are enrolled, and which serves only fully-funded graduate students) and the much larger Comprehensive plan — into a single plan,” the email reads.

The changes would result in a $10 increase in copays, as well as 90 instead of 100 percent coverage of

certain tests, including X-rays and durable medical devices at the Student Health Center.

Five days after being notified, NYU’s Graduate Student Organizing Committee, which is a union for graduate workers including teaching, research and graduate assistants, filed a grievance with human resources alleging that the consolidation violated their 2015 contract with the university. Under Article XIX of their contract, employees’ conditions of employment are to remain the same until the contract expires Aug. 1, 2020.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Washington Square News

2

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

NEWS

NEWS@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by VICTOR PORCELLI and MEGHNA MAHARISHI

NYU Lies About Legal Need to Consolidate Graduate Student Healthcare CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“No provision of this Agreement shall be construed as to lower the compensation rate of any graduate employee,” the contract reads. “Graduate employees receiving wages and conditions of employment higher or better than specifically provided for herein shall continue to receive same throughout the period of this Agreement.”

On July 17, graduate students provided testimonies as part of the grievance process and presented an open letter signed by graduate students opposing the changes. However, NYU rejected the grievance under the premise that since the health insurance plan is offered not only to employed graduate students but also those who do not work, it does not fall under the contract made with GSOC. “NYU’s commitment to paying the health plan premiums is a function of the students’ status as fully-funded graduate students, not a function of their being graduate student workers,” university spokesperson John Beckman wrote in an email to WSN. “This is made clear to students in their acceptance letters, and it is amply demonstrated by the fact that their premiums continue to be paid even in semesters when they are NOT working as GAs or TAs.” GSOC responded by filing for ar-

bitration, a process by which a mutually agreed upon third-party would make a ruling on the dispute. The arbitration occurred on Jan. 16, when lawyers from both sides presented their arguments. A decision will not be made until at least two months later, as the arbitrator continues to receive briefs from lawyers representing both parties.

“We’re seeking a restoration of the plan and compensation to anyone who had higher costs as a result of this change,” steward in GSOC and co-chair of the organizing committee Caroline Bowman wrote in an email to WSN. NYU will seek the dismissal of the claims against them.

Bowman, who was present during the arbitration, said Ciotoli reiterated his previous claim that the New York State Department of Financial Services required NYU to consolidate its health insurance plans.

When GSOC sent out an information request to find out why the university was required to consolidate the insurance plans, they were denied. Patrick Shepherd, a representative for the United Auto Workers — with which GSOC is affiliated — sent the initial request, and the university responded with an email saying the request was “based on an incorrect premise

that the GSHIP student health insurance plan is tied to employment” and “seeks information that is beyond the scope of the collective bargaining agreement.”

It then referred GSOC to a portion of the Student Health Center website which also cites the Department of Financial Services regulation as the reason for the consolidation.

“The former GSHIP plan has been eliminated to comply with the New York State Department of Financial Services regulatory oversight,” the website reads.

This aligns with a statement NYU Spokesperson John Beckman provided to WSN. “All insurance plans in [New York State], even our student insurance plans, are reviewed by the State, and the State indicated to the University that it had concerns about NYU continuing to offer GSHIP,” the statement reads.

These repeated claims directly contradict the information WSN received from a spokesperson at the Department of Financial Services.

“DFS did not require NYU to consolidate the plans. The decision was made by NYU and its insurance company,” the spokesperson said.

“Our role is just to make sure that the rates being charged reflect the ben-

efits provided.”

No matter the reason for the changes, graduate student and Senator atLarge for LGBTQ and graduate students Christopher VanDemark said he was more angered at the lack of consultation with student groups.

“We were blindsided by these changes, and that’s unacceptable,” VanDemark said. “Because there are student groups — not just student groups, but students themselves that are going to be impacted by these changes.”

VanDemark will present a letter of support to the Student Senators Council on Thursday, criticizing the university for their lack of communication and hopes for a favorable result for GSOC in the arbitration process.

Bowman said the most important issue is that the changes made to the plan would negatively affect many graduate students’ quality of life.

“These increases can definitely add up for graduate students and their dependents, especially when we’re not making a lot of money living in New York City,” Bowman said. “These changes can have a huge effect.”

Although just over 1,000 students may have been using GSHIP, it was offered at a subsidized rate to their family members, increasing the number of people affected by the consolidation. “[Doctoral students], more often

than undergrads and masters, have families,” VanDemark said. “We’re a group of students more likely to have dependents, to have spouses. To rely on not only our healthcare but our income as well to make ends meet. We have salaries but they’re meager. We are often overworked and underpaid for that matter.”

VanDemark said his complaints against the university would remain the same even if NYU were not required to consolidate the plans — saying that the lack of consultation regarding a policy that affects students was his main issue with the process.

Still, through multiple emails, the Student Health website, statements made during arbitration and a statement by a university spokesperson, NYU has repeatedly asserted that the Department of Financial Services required them to consolidate their health insurance plans. They have continually made this claim which, according to a spokesperson in that same department, is false.

When asked to respond to this discrepancy in information, the university said they would not have a statement in time for publication, and that they would “look into it.”

This is a developing story. Email Victor Porcelli at vporcelli@nyunews.com.

‘Humanity Is Controlled by Nine Companies,’ According to NYU Professor scope of education about the technology, while examining the social implications of its future.

AI Now declined to comment to WSN, but Tandon sophomore Safani Hasani expressed weariness over how AI will continue to impact people’s civil rights and liberties.

“People are genuinely scared

“

The G-MAFIA serves two masters: Wall Street and Capitol Hill.

AMY WEBB Stern professor

SOPHIA DI IORIO | WSN

By JARED PERAGLIA Deputy News Editor NYU Stern School of Business Professor Amy Webb spoke at the World Economic Forum last week, arguing that the development of artif icial intelligence needs to benef it everyone and not just those in power.

“The future of AI, and by extension the future of humanity, is controlled by just nine companies,” Webb told WSN. In the United States, the largest technology giants are Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Facebook, IBM and Apple — Webb calls these companies the G-MAFIA.

“The G-MAFIA serves two masters: Wall Street and Capitol Hill,” Webb said.

The World Economic Forum holds one major conference each year and publishes daily research online. The forum discusses academics, government and growing technology businesses.

This isn’t the f irst time Webb has been called to speak at the forum for similar issues. She is a self-proclaimed futurist and is the founder of The Future Today Institute, which researches the risks and opportunities associated with the future of science and technology.

“I’ve been invited to participate in previous meetings to offer per-

spective on emerging technologies,” Webb said.

When Webb isn’t running The Future Today Institute or writing books, she teaches strategic foresight at Stern.

“Universities talk a lot about the need to include ethics within the curricula, but making students take a single ethics class won’t broaden their worldviews,” Webb told WSN. “Room should be made for students to also study anthropology, comparative religions and the like.”

Webb isn’t the only professor at NYU talking about the implications for the future of AI on humanity. AI Now, a research institute at NYU, aims to widen the

” for their safety,” Hasani said. “AI has the ability to affect our political and social climate and that’s kind of scary.”

At the World Economic Forum, Webb told crowds that consumers should be focused on whose hands the new technology is in.

“Technology itself isn’t the threat — it’s the application of that technology in the real world that has me worried,” Webb said.

“Especially since a very small group of people are building systems in-

tended to act on behalf of us all.”

While the panelists on stage disagreed on how much regulation tech giants need, Webb thinks that this conversation is misguided.

“Getting governments and companies to agree on a single set of strict regulations is very, very unlikely,” Webb said. “Regulations created today would likely be outdated soon — which is why I think we need a different approach.”

Tandon sophomore Kyle Nelson agrees that pressing more regulation on the G-MAFIA is unproductive.

“Most AI companies are helping companies make smarter decisions.

I don’t think they need more regulation,” Nelson said.

Panelists argued about Western civilization wanting to urge other countries like China to increase regulations. Webb mentioned three other AI powerhouses operating outside our borders — in China.

She calls the trio BAT: Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent. “[Chinese] president Xi [Jinping] is consolidating power and creating a new world order under various state initiatives with AI as the connective tissue,” Webb told WSN. While Webb disagrees with more AI regulation, she feels that the tech giants controlling AI are the only hope for greater transparency to come about.

“The Big Nine aren’t the villains in the story — in fact, I believe they are our best hope for the future.”

Email Jared Peraglia at jperaglia@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | News

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

CRIME LOG

New Semester, Same Welcome

By TATIANA VELASCO Contributing Writer When LS f irst-year Alyssa Peyton transferred to NYU this January, she was excited yet intimidated to start at a new school during the spring semester. For Peyton, the thought of joining the Class of 2022 a semester late was daunting.

“Initially, I did worry that because I didn’t start in the fall like the majority of our class that I would have a hard time making friends or meeting people,” Peyton said.

Spring Welcome, however, helped quell Peyton’s initial worries because of the variety of events the program offered that allowed her to meet other spring transfer students.

“It was nice to go to these events and know that everyone there was a spring admit,” Peyton said. “We were all going through the same thing.”

The university offers welcome programs for the fall and spring semesters. According to Associate Director of Welcome Programs and Class Activities Board Eena Singh, not much has changed with this year’s Spring Welcome Week compared to past years. But she feels that the program helps students, whether they are spring admits or returning students, ease into the new semester.

“I think Spring Welcome is designed in a way where we have something for students to look forward to after having a break,” Singh said. “In addition to classes, we have events that are based around wellness, academic resources and various social events that can ease the transition to the spring semester, which is often times the busiest semester for most students.”

During Fall Welcome Week, mostly f irst-years attend the events, while a team of over 300 Welcome Week leaders help run the events. Fewer re-

turning students tend to visit Spring Welcome events, according to Spring Welcome Leader Kameron Mills.

“Transfer students and spring admits tend to come a lot because they are usually new to the city and they are looking for things to do and get advice,” Mills said.

Spring Welcome also offers similar events to Fall Welcome Week such as Drag Bingo, the Reality Show and Open Mic Night. Unlike Fall Welcome Week, which has over 500 events and is catered towards f irst-years and transfers, Spring Welcome lasts for three weeks and is open to all students. “[Spring Welcome] is not just the f irst week, and I think people get confused about that,” said Mills. “It goes on for three whole weeks, and it’s for everyone.”

While Welcome Week helps some students ease into the semester, some returning students do not participate in any of the events. LS returning f irst-year Vivek Sharma felt as if it was unnecessary for him to visit Spring Welcome events.

“I don’t feel like I need to be welcomed back,” Sharma said. “The only point in [the Welcome events] is to meet people when you’re new, but I already have my friends and I’m settled.”

Despite the lack of popularity Spring Welcome has with returning students, Peyton believed that Spring Welcome fostered a sense of community among the spring admits. “[Spring Welcome] helped bond the spring admits together and created a community between us that I don’t think otherwise would have existed,” Peyton said.

Additional reporting by Meghna Maharishi.

Email Tatiana Velasco at news@nyunews.com.

3

Pair of Pants Missing From Lafayette

By MANSEE KHURANA Deputy News Editor From Jan. 25 to Feb. 3, the Department of Public Safety received eight reports of larceny, four reports of a drug law violation, one report of harassment, and six reports of controlled substances violations.

Larceny On Jan. 26 at 4:10 p.m., a non-NYU affiliate reported a missing coat in the Education Building.

Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Jan. 26 at 4:30 p.m., an NYU student reported a pair of pants missing in Lafayette Street Residence Hall. Additionally, he reported articles of clothing damaged. NYPD was contacted and the case was closed and referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Jan. 28 at 6:21 p.m., an NYU student reported that his bike was missing from the bike racks outside of 721 Broadway. Police was notified but the victim declined to file a report.

On Jan. 28 at 7:22 p.m., an NYU student reported that his wallet was missing from his backpack in the Kimmel Center for University Life. Police notification was declined.

On Jan. 28 at 9:45 p.m., an NYU student reported that his phone was missing from a bathroom at 2 Metrotech Center. Police notification was declined.

On Jan. 30 at 3 p.m., an NYU staff member reported a missing ROKU device from a lounge in Coral Towers Residence Hall. Police notification was declined.

On Jan. 31 at 2:08 a.m., an NYU student reported that his laptop was missing from a locker in Palladium Gym. Police notification was declined.

On Jan. 31 at 6 p.m., an NYU student reported her jacket missing from the third floor of Furman Residence Hall. A police report was filed and the case is open and under investigation.

Drug Law Violation On Jan. 26 at 12:10 p.m., NYU Public Safety Of-

ficer reported to an alleged drug law violation and recovered a small amount of marijuana at Broome Street Residence Hall. Police notification was declined.

On Jan. 28 at 9:30 p.m., Public Safety reported to a drug law violation allegation in Founders Residence Hall. A small amount of marijuana was recovered. Police notification was declined.

On Jan. 30 at 11:10 p.m., a drug law violation was reported in University Residence Hall. A small amount of marijuana was discovered. Police notification was declined.

On Jan. 31 at 1:58 p.m., NYU Public Safety reported to an incident of an alleged drug law violation in Lafayette Street Residence Hall. A small amount of marijuana was recovered. Police notification was declined.

Harassment On Jan. 29, an NYU student at Clark Street Residence Hall reported being harassed online.

Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

Controlled Substance Violation On Jan. 26 at 11:46 p.m., a resident assistant reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in University Hall. Police notification was declined.

On Jan. 29 at 9:20 p.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in Broome Street Hall. Police notification was declined.

On Jan. 29 at 10:49 p.m., an NYU staff member reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in Founders Hall. Police notification was declined.

On Jan. 31 at 9:45 p.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession at Founders Hall. Police notification was declined.

On Jan. 31 at 11:15 p.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in Alumni Residence Hall. Police notification was declined.

On Feb. 1 at 12:06 a.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in Third Avenue North Residence Hall. Police notification was declined.

Email Mansee Khurana at mkhurana@nyunews.com.

Open House Saturday, Feb. 9 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

THIRD NORTH, 75 THIRD AVE., NORTH TOWER, #SB07 •

NYUNEWS.COM

Washington Square News

4

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

CULTURE

CULTURE@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by FAITH MARNECHECK

Creating Change: Being Queer Enough

By TED RAVAGO Contributing Writer A week before spring semester classes began, I traveled with eight other students to Detroit for the largest LGBTQ conference in the country.

Creating Change is a meetup for LGBTQ activists and other people in the community from all over the world. From high school students to adult professionals, people from all walks of life came together to discuss a myriad of issues.

Everyone had a unique experience by customizing their day through the different institutes and workshops they chose to attend. However, the message dominating the conference was that everyone should be proud of being who they are and of being different.

The LGBTQ community often experiences disagreements and infighting. One problem is the idea that to identify a certain way, a person must look or act according to preset norms.

Conversations can turn into fights over which people deserve to be in the com-

munity. Although I have experienced that in other LGBTQ spaces, there was never a moment where I felt pressured into a role at this conference.

“

It definitely made me feel like part of the community, that queerness isn’t defined as one thing.

SARIAN SANKOH Steinhardt graduate student

”

Steinhardt graduate student Sarian Sankoh said that the conference opened her eyes to the diversity of the community.

“Creating Change showed me that queer and trans people can look and be

anything,” Sankoh said. “We don’t all look one way. Especially being a bisexual cisgender woman, it definitely made me feel like part of the community, that queerness isn’t defined as one thing.”

Bisexuality in the queer community is a polarizing issue despite the fact that it comprises the B in LGBTQ. The stigma around bisexuality is heavily present in many queer spaces, and this is one of the issues that Creating Change addressed.

CAS first-year Lexie Kolberg felt moved by her time at the conference.

“I’m no longer wanting to hide that I am bisexual from LGBTQ+ people,” Kolberg said. “Rather, I am completely out there with being bisexual.”

I centered my experience at the conference around queerness and religion because I am gay and Catholic. In queer spaces, religion is often frowned upon — and legitimately so, considering the history between the Church and the LGBTQ community. As a result of this tension, I rarely receive the opportunity to discuss the intersection of my queerness and my faith, and

Faux Fur for a Real Slay

By LENIQUE VINCENT Contributing Writer Tisch senior Mickalia Forrester-Ewen is serious about fashion. So serious, in fact, that she pre-planned 15 outf its for her f irst three weeks at her internship in the CBS casting off ice. Forrester-Ewen, who also stars in her own web series “20 or Something,” shook up her workplace with her favorite faux fur coat.

“I wore my jacket to work today and my co-workers were like ‘Wow Mickalia, you look great,’” Forrester-Ewen said. “I take time out of my day to create my outf its.

I was really excited about this new internship position because the attire is business casual. Literally three weeks before I started, I constructed about 15 outf its for the next couple of weeks. So I’m wearing those and adding my jacket on.”

The longline fur coat is black for the most part, however, the two royal blue and bright yellow stripes that stretch across the sleeves and sides of the coat make the piece stand out. Forrester-Ewen purchased it during last year’s Curl Fest by Essence from the Grey Lab booth.

“I saw the jacket from afar and I grabbed it,” Forrester-Ewen said. “I was like, ‘Oh shoot, this is the jacket for me.’ I tried it

on and I was just like Beyoncé, Solange, Oprah, Michelle Obama. I felt that. I felt powerful, I’m telling you I turn into a different girl!”

Forrester-Ewen explained that even though the jacket wasn’t necessarily in her budget, it was worth the splurge because of its versatility.

One of her favorite outf its with the jacket includes a black and white T-shirt from the Caribbean Roots collection of her friend’s clothing line, Lily & Yas — one of the many black-owned businesses that Forrester-Ewan is passionate about supporting. The look is completed with a pair of black nylon pants from American Apparel, glossy, eggplant combat boots, a small light pink backpack, Forrester-Ewen’s signature Grenadian gold necklace and hoop earrings. The look is all pulled together with a beat face, of course. This isn’t the only combination she has come up with, though.

“I wear it a lot with sweatpants, I like to wear it with heels, but I want to wear it next with a bomb dress and thigh-high boots,” Forrester-Ewen said. “Right now, I’m looking for the perfect scarf.”

Email Lenique Vincent at bstyle@nyunews.com.

COURTESY OF MICKALIA FORRESTER-EWEN

Forrester-Ewen putting on her choice longline faux fur coat from the Grey Lab booth at Curl Fest by Essence.

TED RAVAGO | WSN

A poster at the queer conference “Creating Change.”

having that opportunity at Creating Change was extremely eye-opening.

It taught me that I don’t need to repress that side of my life to be accepted into queer spaces.

In conclusion, there is no such thing as not being queer enough. Queer people can coexist with all of their other identities — whether spiritual, racial, economic or occupational. Gay, trans,

ace and aro, bisexual, pan and gender non-conforming people from all paths of life are welcome. Society must abolish the idea of being queer enough.

No person needs to conform to a set of standards in order for their identity to be valid.

Email Ted Ravago at culture@nyunews.com.

A Guide to Thrifting: Pay Less for More

By ISLA NA Staff Writer Being fashionable on a tight budget can be daunting.

Lucky for us, New York City is teeming with thrift stores that hold treasures waiting to be discovered. Below are f ive of them to explore nearby.

L Train Vintage $ 204 First Ave .

With locations in the East Village, Williamsburg and other neighborhoods, this is the place to go for the true vintage experience. They have a variety of items, including basics that match the latest trend, but they specialize in bold, vintage statement pieces. From worn-in tees and sweaters to eccentric work boots and military jackets, L Train Vintage has items that are authentically from the early 2000s, 90s and even the 80s, for exceptionally low prices.

B uf falo E xchange $ $ 332 E . 1 1th St .

This nation-wide chain of consignment stores is a classic introduction to thrifting.

With New York branches in Manhattan and Brooklyn, the clothing, shoes, bags, jewelry and other accessories that this store sells are modern and trendy. You might get lucky with a pair of Nike Air Force 1 sneakers that look like they were worn a mere three times for less than $40. And if you have clothes that you no longer want, you can bring them into the store to see if they will buy them. Buffalo Exchange offers 30% in cash and 50% in-store credit.

JULIA MCNEILL | WSN

Outfits in the window of Buffalo Exchange, a consignment and vintage store located on 11th Street.

Wonders of Walter $$ 131 Berr y St. Located on the corner of 7th Street and Berry Street in Williamsburg, Wonders of Walter occupies a garage space and spills out onto the sidewalk. Walter, the store’s owner, collects unique items and f ills the shop with his personal collection of fashion pieces from his lifetime. His store has items ranging from sports jerseys, jean jackets, 90s Polos and T-shirts of all sizes from rallies, concerts, marathons, T V shows and more.

His more expensive and antique pieces are hidden in the corner of the garage. Not all of these items are in pristine condition and most show signs of wear and tear, but you’ll know you’re getting something one-of-a-kind. thredUP $$ thredup.com If you don’t want to dig through piles and piles of clothing to f ind that one

shirt you need, this online thrift store is for you. Although they don’t have men’s clothing, they do have second-hand women’s clothing items from companies like J. Crew, Ann Taylor LOFT, Banana Republic, Lululemon Athletica and Free People at affordable prices.

Round Two $$$ 113 Stanton St. Round Two is a resale store with iconic, high-end labels like Supreme, Nike, OffWhite, Palace and even vintage Polo and Guess. This streetwear outlet recently opened in New York City and attracts everyone from kids who cannot afford to pay the full, markedup price for a Supreme shirt to celebrities looking to expand their wardrobe. Round Two buys, sells and trades clothing items along with a wide range of collectible sneakers.

Email Isla Na at bstyle@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Culture

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

Sparking Joy: NYU Students Tidy Up

5

Vegan Options Transform Fast-Casual Dining

By RIA MITTAL Staff Writer

JULIA MCNEILL| WSN

A pile of folded clothes, ready to be donated.

By ALEXANDRIA JOHNSON

Contributing Writer The new year brought about not only the typically neglected annual resolutions but the premiere of the Netflix original series, “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.” In the show, Kondo employs her tidying expertise to declutter the homes and lives of everyday people.

Detailed in her best-selling book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” Kondo discusses her innovative way of decluttering — the KonMari method. This approach prioritizes the emotional value of an object over the item’s function, leaving only the products that are considered essential for one’s environment. In “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,” she puts this method into practice.

Since the show’s release, viewers have been motivated to eliminate items they no longer use. Perhaps because a college student’s life is stereotypically synonymous with being messy and disorganized, many f ind that the new semester is the perfect time to say goodbye to the old.

The ideal place to start, argues Kondo, is by evaluating their already cramped closets and determining whether each item brings joy. Even though it may be diff icult to part with items in a city where materialism seems mandatory, it can be benef icial to create a cleaner environment where everything in the space has a purpose.

After separating unwanted goods, the new challenge becomes “where should it go?” With regard to clothes, students often turn to one of three choices — donating them to charity, selling them to a thrift store or utilizing apps like Poshmark and Depop to curate an online shop.

GLS sophomore Meredith Chaff in practices the KonMari method with her mother, both getting rid of their excess clothes while deepening their mother-daughter relationship.

“My mom watched ‘Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,’ and she became obsessed,” Chaff in said. “She would hold a cloth to her and asks if it sparks joy. For me, I ask if it’s useful, and if it’s

not, we donate it.”

Before turning to donating, Tisch School of the Arts sophomore Mae Schuberth lets her roommates have a f irst peek at her unwanted clothing items. They bond over sorting through their clothes together, yet they avoid getting too attached to their own wardrobes.

“My roommates and I put all of our clothes together in a bag,” Schuberth said. “We go through the bag and keep clothes from each other. After that, we donate the rest.”

Like Schuberth, NYU Shanghai junior Julia Myers f irst reaches out to her friends before giving her unwanted clothes away to thrift stores.

“I gave some of my clothes to my friends through a clothing swap, and my sister dropped the rest at a thrift store,” Myers said.

With thrifting, there is the option to not only sell but buy clothes. At Buffalo Exchange, they assign a price for the clothes brought in, and the person donating the clothes can walk away with either 30 percent of that amount in cash or 50 percent in store credit. Similar to Buffalo Exchange, Beacon’s Closet offers 35 percent in cash or 55 percent in store credit.

The last option to make a prof it is utilizing apps like Poshmark and Depop. Poshmark charges 20 percent of commission for each item over $15 and provides a shipping label once an item is sold. However, since these apps are becoming increasingly more popular, it is diff icult for someone’s closet to stand out unless they have many friends willing to buy from them or a fanbase that follows them consistently.

Because of this drawback, students are more likely to turn to donating and thrift stores as opportunities to tidy up their threads. Some, like Schuberth, do it for the simple and heartwarming reason of giving away their excess to those in need.

“I’ve considered [selling my clothes on apps], but I would rather give it to someone who needs them,” Schuberth said.

Email Alexandria Johnson at culture@nyunews.com.

There’s no escaping veganism these days, whether on the internet, in restaurants or, apparently, even in bakeries famous for their meat selection. The vegan community has always received flak for its growing influence, but the response to Gregg’s vegan sausage roll was on another level.

Following the online uproar over the roll, many customers threatened to boycott the popular British brand following the introduction of the new item. Despite this, the sales of this vegan sausage skyrocketed and many stores sold out.

Steinhardt sophomore Katrina Ramazan, who has been vegan for over a year, had a definitive opinion on the simultaneous disdain and desire for vegan products.

“I don’t really understand why anyone would be upset over a business offering more options for their customers,” Ramazan said. “Clearly there is a demand for it. No one is forcing non-vegans to eat the vegan food — why care so much? It’s just silly.”

Many fast food chains are jumping on the plantbased bandwagon. Restaurants such as Taco Bell and Domino’s have incorporated or announced plans to incorporate vegan items into their menu.

LS sophomore Lila Jacobs believes this trend is taking off at such a fast pace for a reason.

“I think it’s growing in popularity because more people are getting concerned with climate change and the internet is playing an important role in spreading that message,” she said. “Contrary to popular belief, lots of internet vegans are pretty kind and accessible nowadays, not preachy, and I think that helps the movement.”

An array of vegan dishes at IHOP on 14th Street.

It may come as a surprise to some that many fast food chains have always offered vegan options.

Jacobs, who has been vegan for over two years, recommended Chipotle, and chains like Subway and IHOP have also had vegan options for quite a while now.

A surge in plant-based popularity was the introduction of completely vegan restaurants. New York-based by CHLOE. is one such restaurant.

It’s pricey for fast food, but its vegan alternatives are advertised to be comparable in taste to the real animal products themselves. “by CHLOE.’s chocolate chip cookies are my favorite chocolate chip cookies, period, even better than non-vegan ones. You wouldn’t even be able to tell that some of their items are vegan,” CAS

MIN JI KIM | WSN

sophomore Sehejneet Sethi said. “The Italian meatball sub and bacon mac and cheese taste exactly like real meat to me, but without the harmful effects to the environment.”

Many different cuisines also have all-vegan restaurants.

“I like the barbeque fake pork at Buddha Bodai,” CAS Junior Karen Wang said. “I think [food like this] is growing in popularity for a lot of reasons — global warming, animal abuse and people just wanting to lose weight.”

Though there have been mixed reviews about fast food turning vegan, it’s safe to say that the industry is expanding to include more consumers.

Email Ria Mittal at dining@nyunews.com.

Dining Hall Menus Expand

ARIN GARLAND | WSN

The Market Place at Kimmel made a few changes in food options for global street food.

By ARIN GARLAND Dining Editor Coming back from break, you may wonder why your favorite quesadilla spot at the Kimmel Market Place or Mr. Bing at Palladium Dining Hall has abruptly disappeared. Over J-term, NYU Dining sent out an email listing the additions to the various dining halls around campus, such as a new street food station at Kimmel, a new Chinese option at Palladium and halal options at Lipton Dining Hall and Jasper Kane Cafe.

The Global Street Foods station made its debut at Kimmel this January, replacing the quesadilla and burrito station.

With a different selection of international cuisine every day, the station focuses on offering NYU’s diverse student body foods that feel like home. Throughout the week, they offer bibimbap, curry fish with aloo gobi, bratwurst and more.

While some are excited to see a larger array of options, some of the meals are unable to satisfy those with more

refined palates.

“I found today’s Kimmel street food station kind of ridiculous,” CAS first-year Rawit Assamongkol said. “It was a version of the halal cart. Except a meal swipe costs like $10, so I don’t even know why I got it. And the halal carts — any of them — taste better.”

Consisting of protein on top of rice slathered in sauce, halal is one of several options that the station offers. While many of the dining hall additions are interesting, the food has not evolved much in taste. For example, the bibimbap at Global Street Food consists of a mix of greens, rice, an egg, your choice of meat and spicy pepper sauce. Many of the flavors fall flat.

Taste aside, the concept of the street food station has piqued the interests of those who like global cuisine. Rory Meyers College of Nursing sophomore Dior Sadler is one such student.

“I think it’s good they added something else because a lot of Indians or Bengali people didn’t really have an option of what to eat here,” she said. “It sounds interesting, I would try it.”

Steinhardt graduate student Meredith Lopez said it was an improvement from the previous station.

“I never went because it’s not really something I enjoy,” she said, referring to the Mexican food station.

However, Lopez said she would be interested in trying the new options available.

Palladium added a Supreme Hot Bowl station, replacing Mr. Bing. According to the email NYU Dining sent over break, it consists of “made-from-scratch Chinese cuisine.”

“Although I feel people did enjoy Mr. Bing, I personally like the bowl station better because there’s more of a variety of the type of protein you can choose,” LS firstyear Yesenia Leon said. “I think toward the end of the semester, Mr. Bing tried to implement bowls but they decided to completely shift over once we came back.”

The hot bowl station is also more accomodating for vegetarians and vegans. At the station, they offer beef, teriyaki chicken, orange chicken and tofu, as opposed to Mr. Bing, which offered fewer options.

Lipton, which serves vegan and vegetarian options, now also serves halal food certified by the HFSAA. Coinciding with NYU’s mission to accommodate its global community, Lipton is now officially a place where those with various dietary restrictions can come eat. Jasper Kane in Brooklyn is also expanding its vegan options, featuring more kosher meals and halal catered by local Halal Food Standards Alliance of America-approved restaurants.

NYU dining has 19 locations across campus that are all constantly seeking to accommodate the preferences of its diverse community. Overall, while the changes that NYU Dining made over break are a big step toward creating a more inclusive environment, there hasn’t really been an improvement in taste.

Email Arin Garland at agarland@nyunews.com.

ARIN GARLAND | WSN

Bibimbap from the Global Street Food stand at The Market Place at Kimmel.

Washington Square News

6

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

ARTS

ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by GURU RAMANATHAN

Tony Winner Talks ‘I Am the Night’

By GURU RAMANATHAN Arts Editor Jefferson Mays has been a storyteller his whole life. In his childhood, his family did not have a television set, so he and his parents would read books out loud to each other every evening.

They would pass them around and constantly transition between the roles of reader and spectator, creating a lively and imaginative environment for Mays as he navigated his passion for art.

“I think for me that was theatre in its most basic form,” Mays said. “Very early on, I loved stories and to be told stories and to tell stories.”

The multi-genre actor has gone on to perform in major roles across film, television and theatre, appearing in such works as the play “Pygmalion”, and more recently, the Oscar-nominated “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.” He won the Tony for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play in 2004 for “I Am My Own Wife.” He was nominated two more times for the musical “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” and the play “Oslo” in 2014 and 2017, respectively.

Mays now plays Dr. George Hodel in TNT’s limited series “I Am the Night,” executive produced by “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins. Set in 1965, the series is loosely based on the real life Black Dahlia murder and inspired by the autobiography of Fauna Hodel, “One Day She’ll Darken: The Mysterious Beginnings of Fauna Hodel.” Fauna (India Eisley) travels to Los Angeles to uncover secrets about her estranged mother while war veteran-turned-re-

porter Jay Singletary (Chris Pine) investigates a dangerous mystery that potentially involves George Hodel.

When tasked with portraying a real-life figure, there is a certain level of responsibility placed upon the actor in bringing the character to the screen, even with the creative freedoms that the filmmakers may take. Mays, one of the series’ overall highlights, was aware of this but definitely elevates the character from the page. He is enigmatic and chilling in the role, but initially came onto the project with no knowledge of Hodel.

In the late 1940s, Hodel was a physician who became the prime suspect in the murder of Elizabeth Short, also known as the Black Dahlia. He was never formally charged with the crime, but, after his death in 1999, was posthumously accused by his son Steve Hodel, a former LAPD homicide detective, of several murders.

In Mays’ research, he heavily relied on Steve’s findings, but also had the added benefit of being able to film in Hodel’s old residence and really immerse himself in the character’s headspace.

“I learned so much from the architecture,” Mays said. “It was definitely a home of a control freak. There was even a sliding bookshelf in his study that gave on to a secret room. He had an operating theatre in the basement.”

Singletary, an entirely fictional character, starts the series in a rut because his career was brought down by a catastrophic report that alleged Hodel was performing illegal abortions in his Hollywood home, an accusation made

against him in real life. Singletary’s reporting is discredited during the trial.

“I felt strangely comfortable and peaceful [in the home],” Mays said.

“There were some late nights there where we were shooting scenes at three or four in the morning, in the haunted stillness of the place and the years seemed to fall away and I was drifting back in time. It’s one thing that attracts me as an actor, the time travel aspect to inhabit different periods.”

While his appearances in the series feel fleeting, Mays dominates his scenes so that his menacing presence is felt throughout the entire series. This is part of the reason why he feels like a strong antagonist to Fauna and Singletary, though most of his scenes are particularly with Fauna. “[India Eisley] was really a revelation to me. This strikingly beautiful face, these luminous eyes, such emotion passes across like cloud shadows,” Mays said. “She taught me so much about stillness and the quality of listening.”

But Mays was also very enthusiastic about working with Jenkins, who directed the first two episodes in the series on top of producing. Jenkins, nominated for an Emmy for directing the pilot of “The Killing,” was both a permissive and precise director who created a process that was as creatively fluid as it was focused.

“Freedom is one of the greatest gifts you can receive from a director,” Mays said. He was also very enthusiastic about Jenkins’ skill in balancing the overarching narrative with all the delicate aspects of directing episodes.

“This is a rare ability to hold the big

COURTESY OF TNT

Jefferson Mays as Dr. George Hodel in “I Am the Night.”

picture in her mind and every little detail. Everything is important to her: the color of your sock, the length of your mustache, everything matters to her.

That’s an extraordinary ability to have, to hold all of that in mind,” Mays said.

Mays certainly enjoyed his time filming and has never had a preference for performing in a particular medium.

But, he admits that there are some stark differences in his process for each.

“For most stage work, there’s at least four weeks of rehearsal working with your fellow actors and props, so you’re all learning how to tell a story collectively,” he said. “The narrative is completely in your control. You relinquish that power to some degree in television and film. Your performance is ultimately in the hands of the editor. But that in and of itself is pretty thrilling.”

Mays was ultimately very satisfied with the series and the ever growing po-

tential of television to tell unique and longer stories that allow both creators and viewers to explore new stories and nuanced characters.

“There’s a great deal of leisure afforded you with television because you have these limited series which is more akin to reading a novel,” Mays said. “I think we need more stories like this.”

Whether it is reading a novel, appearing on stage or acting for the big screen, Mays has forged a very impressive career. Not only is his eerie performance as Hodel one of the show’s best parts, his frightening villainy elevating the noir’s thrills, but it’s yet another amazing role to add to his filmography.

“I Am the Night” airs every Monday on TNT at 9 p.m.

Email Guru Ramanathan at gramanathan@nyunews.com.

‘Velvet Buzzsaw’ Attempts to Push Satire Through Horror

By JULIE GOLDBERG Staff Writer Dan Gilroy’s “Velvet Buzzsaw” provides a gory, fantastical look into the contemporary art world that shoots for the stars but, unfortunately, still doesn’t make it to the moon. Although the horror film attempts to expose the absurdity of the art world, at times it is guilty of becoming as self-serving as the people and establishments it satirizes.

Still the film delivers an imaginative, darkly delightful portrait of the soulless exchange of art — objects defined

primarily by their monetary potential.

Jake Gyllenhaal gives a captivating performance as prominent art critic Morf Vanderwalt, a spectacled compulsive character who stands at the center of the film. When his colleague and lover Josephina (Zawe Ashton), assistant to cutthroat gallery owner Rhodora Haze (Rene Russo), finds the dead body of the reclusive Vetril Dease in her apartment complex, and subsequently discovers a stock of what Morf describes as visionary paintings in the dead man’s apartment, the consequences of each character’s actions

VIA FACEBOOK.COM

Jake Gyllenhaal and Toni Collette in “Velvet Buzzsaw.”

become increasingly deadly and inevitable. Soon, what began as a somewhat lighthearted satire transforms into a gory slasher film.

The film suffers from subpar dialogue. Much of it comes off as trite and even laughable, such as when up-andcomer artist Damrish (Daveed Diggs) asks Rhodora why her punk band — the titular Velvet Buzzsaw — fell apart, and she replies “Who can remember through all the drugs and booze?” Or, when a frantic Gyllenhaal proclaims, “Something truly goddamn strange is going on!” and we have trouble deciphering whether or not this is done in earnest or in sardonic adherence to the tropes of the horror genre.

Characters like art adviser Gretchen (Toni Collette) and Rhodora are presented as deeply persuasive and quick-witted, and yet their dialogue is not quite as acerbic as one wants it to be.

Gilroy does, however, give us a few brilliant visual experiences. One of note is the mesmerizing yet petrifying scene in which Josephine stands unwittingly in a pool of melting paintings, to ultimately be smothered and cemented into a wall of graffiti. Watching Collette’s face descend into panic as her arm is sawed off by an interactive exhibit is equally transfixing for its pure gore, as the sterile, insulated gallery becomes a bloody crime scene.

Scenes like the one in which Gretchen’s dead body is mistaken as an inanimate element of the “Sphere,” an

interactive metal globe that sells for $7 million, are meant to disturb and revolt through their stark presentation of the ludicrousness into which contemporary art has arguably devolved. While these moments may indeed inspire reflection, the problem is that it is, put simply, very difficult to shock us. The world which Gilroy sets to satirize has already satirized itself; forgotten glasses and mittens have been mistaken for pieces of art, and made-up artists — see Nat Tate — have sold pieces for tens of thousands of dollars. “Velvet Buzzsaw” follows these kinds of incidents to their logical conclusion, and while there is a certain joy in watching a group of school kids muck around in Gretchen’s blood, it doesn’t go anywhere new.

The various subplots, such as Piers’s (John Malkovich) struggle to sustain his creative energy while sober and the ups and downs of Josephina and Morf’s relationship, are never given enough attention or backstory to earn our investment. Coco (Natalie Dyer), the 22-year old Michigan transplant trying to stay above water as she navigates the L.A. gallery scene, does manage to gain our sympathies, but when we see her packing her bags to head back home, we can’t be bothered to do more than shrug and nod; we saw it coming.

Ultimately, my biggest gripe with “Velvet Buzzsaw” is that it utilizes virtually two hours to deliver the same message that Banksy’s self-destructing painting did in a matter of seconds,

with no additional nuances. This does not mean there are not great joys to be had along the way, but that greater efforts could have been made to culminate the film in a message that is more complex. Perhaps a note on the increasing inescapability of the institutions of the art world, or the impenetrable relationship between art and artist, might have deepened the film’s commentary.

Piers ultimately preserves his integrity, as is demonstrated by the final shot in which he is drawing with a stick in the sand, allowing his marks to be washed away by the waves, content with the ephemerality of his labor, even as it precludes that work from being sold, from being inducted into the altar of “high art.” Or does it? In thinking about the nature of performance art, of the happenings of artists like Kaprow and Cage, it becomes clear that ephemerality does not result in a complete withdrawal from the institutionalized art world on which the film focuses.

Not every film has to turn our world upside down, but it seems that “Velvet Buzzsaw” had both the intention and the potential to do so. Still, this is a movie worth watching if only for the indulgent joy that comes with poking fun at pretension and self-importance, for the superficial yet perhaps still gratifying contemplation it inspires, and for the stellar performances from the cast.

Email Julie Goldberg at film@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Arts

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

Clive Davis’ Harry Teardrop and James Ivy Bring Lo-Fi to the Lower East Side

COURTESY OF COLIN TUNNEY

Harry Teardrop opened for Billy Lemos at Mercury Lounge this past Friday.

By AASHNA AGARWAL Staff Writer NYU Clive Davis sophomores Harry Teardrop and James Ivy opened for headliner Billy Lemos Friday night at Mercury Lounge, playing to a room packed with fans and friends.

James Ivy, whose real name is James Butler, set the tone for the night, his voice eliciting both off beat expression and calm knowingness. His set quickly transitioned after the f irst songs from a folk-indie influence into a pop-punk/alternative hybrid.

Harry Teardrop, whose real name is Harrison Li, joined Ivy for a song before Ivy f inished his set, a duo that had the crowd hooked. A very reactive performer, Ivy read the crowd well and interacted with them familiarly, his facial expressions changing with every lyric.

“His style is very different from what we hear today, where lyrics don’t mean anything to artists,” said Sof ia Gutierrez, a GLS f irst-year and concert attendee. “If you speak about your own experience in your music, that’s especially powerful.”

Harry Teardrop followed, beginning his set with lo-f i poppunk, flowing well from Ivy’s set. He began with a cover of The 1975’s “Robbers,” which the crowd very eagerly sang along to.

The rest of his songs drew from classic punk, escalating twothirds of the way through, building anticipation and compelling his audience to quiet.

“He really energized the

crowd,” fellow Clive Davis f irstyear Anna Solasz said. Finding the weather outside to be brick and wishing his fans a happy Chinese New Year, Teardrop was a more conversational performer.

Long-awaited Billy Lemos’

“

His style is very different from what we hear today, where lyrics don’t mean anything to artists. If you speak about your own experience in your music, that’s especially powerful.

SOFIA GUTIERREZ GLS first-year student and concert attendee

” performance style was a stark contrast to Ivy and Teardrop.

Crouched on the floor of the stage in a variety of positions, his set was unlike anything I’d ever seen or heard.

While all three performers dis-

played vulnerability, Lemos’ was not simply verbal but physical as well. His large headphones were a barrier between him and the audience, his art the primary connection between him and them.

This was well represented in the way each member of the crowd seemed to interpret his music differently and personally, some dancing with the same vigor they had been previously, others conflicted and contemplating, deeply affected by his work.

Maintaining a level of dedication, Lemos’ devotion to his craft is a testament to his maturity, a trait that is rare but was extremely prevalent in Ivy, Teardrop and Lemos alike.

With Teardrop’s new EP “1000 Backyard Pools” coming out soon and Lemos’ new song on the way, much is to come from these artists.

This event was the f irst of many put together by Nico Brunstein and Omar Ahmed, creators of Goons NYC, in an effort to create a local scene for indie artists, as well as promote their brand and reach a wider audience.

“The end goal is to basically go to Washington Square Park, start live sessions like NPR’s ‘Tiny Desk’ concert series and upload them to YouTube,” said Brunstein. “My problem with indie artists is when you look them up, you can’t f ind any live performances. When I look up an artist, I want to hear them live.”

7

Terrance Hayes Talks Trump, Teaching at NYU

By ALEX CULLINA Theater & Books Editor Terrance Hayes, the acclaimed poet and NYU Creative Writing professor, came to NYU’s Lillian Vernon Creative Writing House on Thursday for a discussion and reading of some of his recent work.

In her introduction, Deborah Landau, the director of NYU’s Creative Writing Program, called him a “virtuosic master of form, both received and invented.”

At the intimate space f illed to capacity, Hayes read work from a project he began after the election of Donald Trump that evolved into his 2018 collection “American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin,” in which he set out to write a sonnet for each day Trump was president.

Each poem in the collection is identically titled “American Sonnet for My Past and Future Assassin.”

Not all of these poems directly address Trump; Hayes said that the titular assassin was often different poem to poem.

He also described the book as a general record of the period of his life during which he wrote it, completely infused with himself.

“The book is also very much about being divorced,” Hayes said.

As he realized that Trump would remain in off ice for longer than he had originally guessed, Hayes decided to bring the project to an end, if a bit reluctantly.

“Even today, I was working out syllables,” Hayes said.

Writing within the syllabic conf ines of the sonnet, the work Hayes read was both broadly political (“If there’s a miracle, federal, state, and local charges,” ends one poem) and achingly personal (“Seven of the ten things I love in the face of James Baldwin,” opens another) often within the same poem. There is play with rhythm and language that is truly delightful (“The umpteenth thump on the rump of a badunka-

dunk”) but also deeply emotional (“I only belong to longing”).

After the reading, Hayes and Landau discussed his work before taking questions from the audience.

Explaining his attraction to the sonnet, Hayes mentioned his almost lifelong love of Keats and Shakespeare, and the inspiration he’s found in the work of the poet

“

The work Hayes read was both broadly political and achingly personal, often within the same poem.

”

Wanda Coleman, from which he drew his book’s epigraph.

“They usually show up when I’m stuck,” Hayes said about the form.

Hayes also talked about the joy that he f inds in teaching, and the attention that he f inds is important to give to his students.

“I want everyone to feel like they’re my favorite student,” he said.

The last poem Hayes wrote, published last month in the New Yorker, was the only one with a unique title: “American Sonnet for the New Year.” As he f inished his Trump project, Hayes looks forward to the future with a mixture of hope and skepticism. “Things will get less ugly, inevitably, hopefully,” the poem ends.

Email Alex Cullina at acullina@nyunews.com.

COURTESY OF THE MACARTHUR FOUNDATION

Email Aashna Agarwal at music@nyunews.com.

Terrance Hayes, poet and NYU professor, gave a reading at the Lillian Vernon Creative Writing House last Thursday.

Washington Square News

8

OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

OPINION

Edited by HANNA KHOSRAVI and MELANIE PINEDA

EDUCATION

Putting Geography Education on the Map

By HANNA KHOSRAVI Opinion Editor Back in high school, I had a substitute teacher that showed up relatively often to fill in for any history, science or math teacher. Or anyone, really, that was absent for a day or two.

His presence was a recurring theme, particularly because whenever there was any sort of momentary lull in the classwork, he liked to filled the gap with stories of the years he had worked at our high school as a full-time teacher decades ago — back when there was a geography class at the school, and he taught it. He’d talk about it like he was describing the days of yore, and send his storytime somewhat grimly with something akin to “that’s back when kids actually had to learn geography.”

Most of us did not grow up in a generation or environment where geography classes were the norm. By the time we got to middle school, they had mostly lost their place in history and social studies curricula. Now, there are more STEM options than ever before.

Which is great! STEM is important and we all know that. I say that as a devout liberal arts major who fully understands, values and enjoys her STEM education. I grew up in Silicon Valley, after all.

But is it not disheartening that in the U.S., almost 75 percent of eighth-graders tested below the level of “solid competency” in geography performance? It is not just about being able to pinpoint a country on a map or memorize information for the sake of an exam. In this new age of global connectivity, knowing where we are with respect to the rest of the world prepares us for an increasingly global society. And it provides a much-needed understanding of the impact of geography on foreign relations, the interconnectivity of the global economy, the evolution of the political world order and the history of unrest around the world.

In 2016, a study from the Council on Foreign Relations and the National Geographic Society “revealed significant gaps between what young people understand about today’s world and what they need to know to success-

fully navigate and compete in it.” We think geography is obsolete — we have Google Maps, right? But when one considers that a majority of American students tested in the study were not even aware of where U.S. troops are stationed around the world, the translation between what we think of as literal geography and crucial geopolitical issues is much clearer.

If the average score for college-educated 18-to26-year-olds was a failing grade, it is a clear indication of the necessity of the system’s alteration from the ground up.

It is pivotal to consider the significant ramifications of being geographically unaware: a lack of understanding regarding geography in the world can lead to what many of us would acknowledge as the greatest political calamities of our modern era. The rise of populism in the last few years has manifested in the U.S. political sphere and is startlingly blatant in the culmination of votes towards political movements like Brexit, in which a lack of palpable understanding regarding immigration and political awareness manifested in one of the influential political schisms in recent memory.

The 2016 study demonstrated an extreme amount of troubling information. Vice President of education at the National Geographic Society Kathleen Schwille noted that most participants could not “tell the difference between specific countries,” notably Iraq and Iran — two countries with which the United States has had extreme political engagements in the last two decades. One of which we invaded in 2003 — the Iraq war officially ended in 2001, but its significant consequences are still with all of us today — and the other, Iran, is a former U.S. ally with which we have been engaged in a 40-year cold war.

And when we do see geography education, it is often relatively Euro-centric. I can say with certainty that the only time I ever did work with a map in high school was during my first week of AP Modern European History when we were tested by putting the names of Western European countries on a blank map of the continent.

As I observe young politicians campaigning on their intention of improving our education system, which currently stands at about 27th place in terms of world rankings, there seems to be a sense of ignorance and willful rejection of the importance of a more robust experience for students studying social sciences. Does having a more educated, informed and well-rounded populace rely solely on a national focus on the mathematics and science

courses? Geography education might not be a sexy topic to push, per se, but it is strange to imagine that somewhere along the way, global awareness and spatial analysis became arbitrary and seemingly undesirable skills. Global understanding and geographic awareness should be a basic necessity of our educational system, not an amorphous, optional concept.

According to the National Geographic Education Foundation, geography is the only subject in a list of nine areas of “core academic subjects in federal education legislation” that received no funding between the years 2002 and 2012 — that is in comparison to nearly $13 billion spent on English Language Arts and Math & Science. But there seems to be a distinct disparity in our funding and our job market necessities — in fact, the Department of Labor has reported that the number of employment specialists in geography is projected to grow 29 percent between 2012 and 2022, compared to the average of 11 percent growth for other occupations. Geography plays a critical and practical role in the fields of “national security, law enforcement, health care, environmental protection, and natural resources conservation.”

We associate geography with tediousness, but it can serve as the impetus for earlier engagement in international relations and politics. It can be taught in tandem with current-events curricula in classrooms in the U.S. We can see potential for this expansion in the rise of courses like AP Human Geography being offered in more schools. The course, while

focusing in some part on actual geography, also aims to introduce students to utilizing spatial concepts and landscape analysis in order to understand patterns of “human social organization and its environmental consequences.”

Taking a course like AP Human Geography is a good start, but it cannot undo a systemic failing — one year of broad conceptual study cannot make up for a lack of tangible educational grounding in geo-literacy or awareness of how to label a country on a map anywhere outside of North America. We need the teachers who lead geography courses to be properly trained in geographic study rather than simply expecting social studies teachers to include some geographic grounding in their courses. As the Canadian Council for Geographic Education argues, we cannot “assume that any teacher can pick up enough geography to teach the subject.” For any geography course to stand alone, trained instructors are of the utmost importance.

The way we have faltered with geography is similar to how we are beginning to treat history courses: as auxiliary, uneventful and monotonous. We do not realize how crucial our understanding of our past is to our understanding of our present and our future, and we have most certainly forgotten how integral our understanding of our surroundings is to our understanding of what is happening in the world.

Our turn away from these topics in our educational system is a turn away from empathy and communication. The deprioritization implies an apathy toward what happens to

others and a central focus on what happens to us. By neglecting geography education, we are, in some ways, suggesting that what happens on the borders and on the continents outside of our own are somehow unimportant to us.

But now more than ever, with an administration in the White House that is hell-bent on the distortion of truth and fact — particularly in regard to issues of immigration, border security and relationships with foreign governments — our independent understanding of our world is of the utmost importance. I urge any politicians considering endeavoring upon campaigns to consider the creation of legislation in regard to better implementation of geography curricula in the United States.

If our election in 2016 proved anything, it was that we as a nation are in desperate need of a more informed populace — and that what causes the empathy gap sponsored by the Trump administration and his legion of followers is not pure malintent, but rather a striking lack of global, national and political literacy. It’s the right time to acknowledge what we miss in education reform when we forget about the importance of creating informed citizens out of our students and focus solely on creating better test-takers.

It’s time for a change, and while it may seem like a small start, the impact will yield a more politically engaged America. And it can all start with a map in the classroom.

E-mail Hanna Khosravi at hkhosravi@nyunews.com.

SOPHIA DI IORIO | WSN

CULTURE

Struggling to Define Asian-American Culture in 2019

By RYAN KIM Contributing Writer Some call this the golden age for Asian culture. We’re taking the world by storm, from the box-office hit “Crazy Rich Asians” to the BTS poster in your little sister’s room. South Korea beat Germany in the group stages of the World Cup and mukbang was in the embarrassment we call the 2018

YouTube Rewind. So one might think that my cultural pride must be sky high right now. It’s not.

As a matter of fact, I’m here to argue that this pride has been dying out over the course of the past few decades.

This Asian-American identity that people have been discussing doesn’t really exist — at least not in the way that you might think.

It’s no new concept that white is the color of success. Nearly all of my childhood heroes were white, with the exception of Park Ji-Sung and Ryan Higa. Every TV show and cartoon I watched had white characters and every protagonist of every book I read was white. But even now that we see greater representation in the media, it is not helping to define a cultural identity.

Asian Americans have been labeled

the model minority for a long time. But if we’re the model, why are we constantly trying to assimilate?

Setting an example would require that Asian Americans hold onto their cultural identity. But for too many years, we’ve operated under the notion that it is a natural progression for Asian Americans to adopt traditions and traits typical of white people. It is the desire to become successful (read: white) that drives Asian Americans to gradually discard whatever makes us alien, whether it be the language barriers our parents face or ethnic cuisine with any degree of authenticity beyond Panda Express. As minorities, this distinctiveness is something we need to preserve and embrace; doing so may be the only legitimate way to overcome the prejudices associated with skin color. In an effort to assimi-

late, it is almost as if Asian-Americans have tried to negate their minority status. But we shouldn’t be trying to assimilate — there is more value in trying to define ourselves.

It isn’t enough to just drop the cultural differences — even our physical appearances must manifest this desire to assimilate. The Asian American can never be a white American, no matter how blond he dyes his hair or how much makeup she wears. Beauty standards in countries like South Korea idolize Western conventions, which explains the popularity of plastic surgery — men and women alike seek double-eyelid and rhinoplasty procedures in attempts to look more European.

Talking about this sort of thing is tough — no one wants to admit that they’re part of such a toxic environment.

I’m not immune to this criticism — in fact, I’m an example of this seeming loss of identity. I don’t speak Korean despite both of my parents being immigrants from the country, and I’ve never bothered to involve myself in Asian affinity groups despite getting constant emails from the Korean Students Association and others. But I understand that it is part of a cycle that will continue until we decide to stop adhering to the rules of another race.

The imitation of white culture that Asian Americans call their identity is embarrassing — and it only gets worse with every generation. We will always play second fiddle if we keep playing in someone else’s orchestra.

E-mail Ryan Kim at opinion@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Opinion

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

9

RELIGION

The Contradictions of a Catholic Education

By COLE STALLONE Deputy Opinion Editor Like many, I was disgusted by the incident that occurred during the Indigenous People’s March just a few weeks ago; a group of Trump supporting teenagers surrounded and mocked a Native American elder. As someone whose entire education prior to attending NYU was at a Catholic school, I was particularly enraged to learn that fellow Catholic students were responsible.

In the aftermath of the incident “#ExposeChristianSchools” went viral, revealing widespread cases of bigotry in Christian schools across the country. While reading all the various accounts from students, I couldn’t help but think of my own experience in a Catholic school, which also had problems with bigotry. Nevertheless, some of the most positive experiences I’ve ever had took place during my Catholic education, particularly my Jesuit high school, which emphasized social justice and service in the community. As a result, my own experience in Catholic school is one of profound contradiction.

Similarly, the Covington Catholic incident is reflective of the contradiction present within all Catholic education: a curriculum of social justice with a culture of oppression. This is also reflective of the greater contradictions within both the Catholic Church as an institution and Catholicism as a theological doctrine. While some of my personal experiences were negative, I believe that Catholic education, much like the Catholic Church and Catholicism, can be a force for good in the world.

However, in order for that to occur, it needs to step away from a conservative approach to theology and it must embrace a progressive approach, one that is bent towards justice.

Looking at the video, it’s not difficult to get a sense of what these kids represent: smugness and disrespect rooted in white supremacy and anti-indigenous sentiment — which is not only ingrained in the history of this country but has also been bolstered by President Donald Trump’s campaign, election and administration. Despite the perpetrators attempts to gaslight and misdirect blame, it is hard to feel anything but disrespect from the main student in the video, as well as the surrounding mob of young bigots. Ultimately, this situation was a complete failure of Catholic education and contradicts everything essential to Catholic doctrine.

Furthermore, as a former Catholic student, it feels necessary to apologize to the indigenous community for the actions of my peers and to say that I firmly stand against everything that they stand for.

From kindergarten to eighth grade, I attended Our Lady of Pompeii School — just a few blocks away from Washington Square Park. Afterward, I went to Saint Peter’s Preparatory School, a Jesuit high school in New Jersey. Both of these institutions had a profound effect on my worldview, and some of that had to do with my negative experiences as a student. When reflecting on my time at Our Lady of Pompeii, it is difficult to forget the culture of homophobia and toxic masculinity. There is no doubt in my mind that this contributed to the difficulty I had in coming to terms with my bisexuality as I would come to understand it later on.

My high school experience wasn’t much better.

Submitting to

During my time there, a close friend and fellow student, Lyandro Zuñiga, created an art piece depicting various bigoted statements written in black ink on a large American flag. The statements were all xenophobic, misogynistic, racist and homophobic things Lyandro had overheard during our time at Saint Peter’s.

Ultimately, bigoted actions aren’t limited to Catholic education, as they infest all Catholic institutions. I remember vividly the Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s decree regarding same-sex marriage, firmly rejecting it and codifying that rejection in the Archdiocese policy. Even at a young age I couldn’t help but feel extremely conflicted by the idea of a faith which centers itself around love, while simultaneously rejecting the notion of love for some people. There is also no doubt in my mind that these experiences contributed to me distancing myself from the faith.

With that being said, the difficult task becomes reconciling these experiences with some of the overwhelmingly positive ones I had during my time in Catholic school. At Our Lady of Pompeii, I received an opportunity to explore theological questions in a manner that allowed me to ponder the mystery of God and then engage with that idea more critically later on. That open-mindedness was crucial for the development of my worldview.

My time at Saint Peter’s gave me some of my most important passions and motivations. In particular, the school forced me to reconcile my responsibility to the world while guiding me to find my place within it. As an institution, it facilitated many different events and dialogues about social justice issues, which encouraged further development of my worldview. And finally, through the ascension of Pope Francis to the papacy — his humility, concern for the poor and focus on interfaith dialogue — I have begun to reconcile my relationship with my Catholic identity — something I struggled with beforehand.

Still, one of the biggest flaws of the Catholic Church is its inability to self-correct. At my high school, they placed Zuñiga’s flag in a room where very few people could see it. Ultimately, despite their successes, I view this action as a failure of my Catholic education. The Catholic faith is declining in terms of popularity and importance in people’s lives. The two most important contributing factors in this decline are a lack of trust in wake of the sexual abuse scandal and a disagreement over some of the more conservative political stances of the Church.

Refocusing on Covington Catholic, this incident took place during the annual March for Life, whose conservative stance on abortion has created a direct connection between the Church, its various smaller communities and the far-right of this country. Pope Francis himself still has conservative views with regards to abortion, the ordination of women and LGBTQ+ issues. As progressive as he may be, he falls short of what many consider to be radically necessary change. Because ultimately, if Catholic education is to mean anything in the 21st century and the rise of secularism, then it must have an emphasis on social justice. Furthermore, it must rid itself of any and all oppressive elements while reconciling its past.

The Catholic Church is one of the oldest continuously functioning institution in the history of the world. It is also the largest non-state provider of education and health care around the world. If the Church wants to remain a force for change in the world then it must reorient itself around love and humility as opposed to rigidity and conservatism. Through this, perhaps it can help create a Heaven on Earth.

STAFF EDITORIAL

The Changing Face of Journalism Every outlet — from WSN’s editor-in-chief to the Washington Post— is talking about it. The socalled death of journalism as we know it is upon us. With major layoffs of talented journalists being announced daily, the industry and its future seems hopeless. This is particularly frightening for young journalists; what does it say about our desired professions if the industry is beginning to collapse? What does it say about us, the student journalists, who are entering a dying field?

Looking at the statistics, rather than the headlines, reveals a different perspective. While the number of journalism jobs is declining, journalism schools are experiencing a surge in students.

And so the current situation is more the supply of jobs failing to meet the demand, rather than a complete collapse.

From this perspective, journalism isn’t dying — it’s being reborn. And while these challenges are real and dangerous to the future of our industry, they are not fatal. Furthermore, as student journalists, this change in perspective forces us to reject the idea that we are preparing to be the final generation of a once-respected profession.

Instead, it allows us to approach these problems with the mindset of pioneers in an evolving field that must rise to the challenge of transforming our industry and its crutches in the past in order to meet the challenges of today.

We’ve seen the repercussions of the decline of journalism even amongst NYU alumni. Carolina Moreno, the previous Latino Voices Editor at HuffPost, graduated from NYU in 2013 with a degree in Journalism and Latin American Studies, as well as a minor in French. After almost seven years in this position, however, she was one of the many experienced journalists that were laid off a few weeks ago. Moreno joined in on the trend of these journalists posting about their recent employment status and linking to threads of their published works in hopes of finding new jobs. To see someone as well-versed and accomplished as Moreno be suddenly laid off with so many others feels like a harsh, unexpected slap of reality.

And journalism students are feeling rightly discouraged because of it — including us at WSN. How are we expected to feel confident about the $75,000 we are spending a year on tuition when the guarantee of a job right after graduation is no longer the case for so many of us?

It is worth noting the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute’s requirement of a double major.

The Institute’s website openly acknowledges that “undergraduate major students are more successful after graduation when they enter the work-

force with expertise on how to write and report as well as deep knowledge of a specific subject area.”

There has also been some controversy in regard to whether journalism is more of a career or a fouryear degree. But perhaps NYU’s active endeavor to make the journalism degree intersectional is the exact step we should be working towards as young journalists — maybe the future of journalism lies in its ever-changing form. It is frightening to consider that the traditional view of journalism might be vanishing — the interpretation we have in our minds of what it means to be a journalist, cemented in our memory from legendary images like that of “All the President’s Men” and “Spotlight.”

Journalists are public servants who will maintain their positions as arbiters of the truth. And today, we are living in a strangely dichotomous time. At a time in American socio-political history when truth is constantly under attack by the Executive Office, it would seem that the journalism industry is retaliating against government malfeasance. In many ways, this has been the case, as witnessed when TIME Magazine anointed “The Guardians” of the truth as their 2018 Person of the Year. The need for truth and accountability will never be quashed, despite the fact that we might feel that journalism in its current form is on the decline.

Newsrooms and print publications might not continue to exist with the regularity that they currently do. But we must maintain an understanding that as the definition of traditional journalism changes, its intentions will not. Journalism education should reflect this, and prepare students for entering a malleable industry. What can journalism students do to equip themselves in a society where our morning scroll through Twitter replaces our engagement with a physical newspaper?

How can students train for careers less reliant upon 9-to-5 journalism employment and more in line with freelancing and independent investigation in which you may or may not get published?

The challenges that lie ahead for journalism majors will be difficult — that’s something we now know is inevitable. But that doesn’t change the fact that our work is crucial now more than ever. As student journalists working at a student-run publication, we feel a sense of responsibility in staying as informed as possible on this topic, and we understand its particular relevance given our current socio-political climate. For this reason, we at WSN hope to continue exploring the ever-changing aspects of the field and the future of journalism as a whole throughout this semester.

Email the Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.

HANNA KHOSRAVI Chair MELANIE PINEDA Chair COLE STALLONE Co-chair SARAH JOHN Co-chair

Email Cole Stallone at cstallone@nyunews.com.

SEND MAIL TO: 75 THIRD AVE. #SB07, NEW YORK, N.Y. 10003 OR EMAIL: OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 450 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title. WSN does not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.

Washington Square News

10

SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

SPORTS

Edited by BRENDAN DUGGAN and ZACH HAN

Patriots Defeat Rams 13-3 in Super Snoozefest

Quarterback Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

By NICO DAVIDOFF Contributing Writer This year, the New England Patriots — and their roster of familiar faces — squared off against the Los Angeles Rams and their young stars at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. With the score 3-0 in the

Patriots’ favor at halftime, this was a physically- and defensively-oriented game. The Rams punted their f irst eight possessions.

“The game itself hasn’t been that interesting if I’m being honest,” Gallatin senior Andrea Meyer said.

The halftime show provided a break from the defensive battle, es-

VIA FLICKR.COM

pecially for those less interested in football. Unfortunately, Maroon 5, Travis Scott and Big Boi of Atlanta’s own OutKast delivered a halftime performance that matched the f irst half’s lack of excitement and the low expectations for the brief concert.

No number of lantern drones and “Spongebob Squarepants” memes,

an homage to the late creator Stephen Hillenburg, could resurrect Adam Levine’s performance.

“The ‘SpongeBob’ appearance in Travis Scott’s performance was my favorite part,” CAS senior Ale Leipen said.

After the low-scoring f irst half, many expected both teams to make signif icant adjustments in the f inal 30 minutes. Tisch f irst-year Carina Kanzler, who grew up in a Patriots household, said the number of punts from both teams heading into the start of the third quarter surprised her.

Many students also eagerly anticipated the match-up between legendary Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Rams head coach Sean McVay, the youngest head coach to lead an NFL team to the Super Bowl.

Especially after the closely contested f irst half, anticipation for the battle down the stretch between the upstart Rams and the dynastic Patriots increased. However, Belichick and the Patriots came out on top 13-3 — a surprisingly low-scoring affair considering the shootouts in the Conference Championships and the two teams’ high-flying offenses.

Sixteen points is the lowest combined total for any Super Bowl. Be-

fore this year’s game, Super Bowl VII was the lowest scoring game with the Miami Dolphins beating the Washington Redskins 14-7.

Tom Brady, the veteran Patriots quarterback who now holds the NFL record for most Super Bowl wins with six, was held mostly in check by the tough Rams defense until the fourth quarter. With this victory, he cemented his spot as the greatest quarterback of all time. But Kanzler said she doesn’t know how much longer his run of success will last.

“Maybe it’s not his last season, but I think this is his last Super Bowl,” Kanzler said.

The title has further legitimized the Patriots fans’ claim that their team is the greatest NFL dynasty ever, and the team will surely be looking to strengthen their roster for another Super Bowl run next year.

But Rams fans should not be too disillusioned — this young team has a bright future ahead, led by innovative coach Sean McVay and star quarterback Jared Gof; both the Patriots and Rams are poised to be championship contenders for years to come.

Email Nico Davidoff at sports@nyunews.com.

Kristaps Porzin-Gone: Another Lost New York Knicks Treasure

By ZACH HAN Sports Editor And just like that, the Knicks’ superstar has left the Big Apple.

With the NBA trade deadline approaching, the biggest basketball news of the week came at the expense of the New York Knicks, who traded their franchise cornerstone, Kristaps Porzingis, to the Dallas Mavericks. The full trade included a package of Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee from the Knicks, and Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and two first-round picks from the Mavericks.

Porzingis was supposed to be the player to build around in New York for years to come. Drafted fourth overall in the 2015 NBA draft, Porzingis proved in his freshman season as a pro that he was an upcoming star in the league after finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting that season. With a 7’3” frame, Porzingis earned the nickname “Unicorn” for his ability to shoot the deep ball and his agility for a seven foot man For Knicks fans, calling this trade a shock is an understatement. Porzingis is already an established All-Star after earning a berth last season at only 23 years old. Porzingis has also voiced his love for the city in the past and his intentions to remain with the Knicks in the long run. While he expressed his loyalty to the city, he has preached that winning is a huge priority for him, something the Knicks have failed to do since he entered the league. Over the past three seasons, the Knicks have amassed at least 50 losses each season and are currently at 10-41 heading into the All-Star break.

News came out that Porzingis asked for a meeting with the Knicks’ upper management to talk about his concerns with the team’s losing culture and his

uncertain future. The unsettling news about the meeting is that reports claimed Porzingis left the Knicks’ management with the impression that he wanted to be traded, but never outright requested a trade. Five hours later, Porzingis was traded. It seemed as if the Knicks’ upper management did nothing to fight for their superstar to stay and decided to give up on him.

From New York’s perspective, the Porzingis deal was a salary cap dump — in other words, the Knicks used Porzingis as an incentive for the Mavericks to take on the large salaries from Hardaway Jr. and Lee’s contracts. In return, the Knicks received one-year contracts in Jordan and Matthews, as well as a promising young point guard in Smith Jr. While the trade appears to be a huge win for the Mavericks, who obtained the best player in the trade, it is a confusing one to ponder from the Knicks’ point of view.

Dealing Porzingis on the final year of his rookie deal is baffling enough. After this season, he could have been a restricted free agent, meaning the Knicks could have matched any other team’s offseason offer to retain their superstar. The Knicks are also the team that could have offered him the most money.

Given that Jordan and Matthews have expiring contracts, it is likely that they are both either bought out of their contracts this season, or they play the rest of the season in New York and are not brought back next season. Essentially, this means the Knicks swapped Porzingis for Smith Jr. while dumping salaries onto the Mavericks. While Smith Jr. is a good player, the Knicks could have drafted him eighth overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. Instead they went with point guard Frank Ntilikina, who has yet to blossom. Smith Jr. was selected

VIA FLICKR.COM

Former Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks following a tense meeting with the organization on Thursday.

ninth overall by the Mavericks.

The fact the Knicks made the Porzingis trade a salary dump trade only means one thing — they plan to cash out in free agency this offseason. Some of the most notable upcoming free agents are Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler and Klay Thompson, all of whom are All-Stars. With the con-

tracts they dumped on the Mavericks, the Knicks cleared up about $72 million in cap space to spend on not just one, but two max contracts. This means it’s possible for the Knicks to sign two of the most prominent free agents this offseason. After all, New York is a huge market and, no matter their record, will always attract free agents.

The Knicks committed to this offseason by dealing their franchise star, but if the Knicks fail to sign at least one high-value free agent this summer, the losing culture may continue in New York, and they will have lost their best player for virtually nothing.

Email Zach Han at zhan@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Sports

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2019

11

Washington Square News Staff Editor-in-Chief

Sakshi Venkatraman Managing Editor

Sam Klein DEPUTY Akshay Prabhushankar, Bela Kirpalani Creative Director

Priya Tharwala, Sophia Di Iorio

Interested in working for us?

Come to our Sunday pitch meetings.

Copy Chiefs

Joey Hung, Andrew Ankersen DEPUTY Kate Lowe, Lauren Gruber, Sam Brinton, Paul Kim Multimedia

Alana Beyer DEPUTY Jorene He PHOTO Alina Patrick DEPUTY PHOTO Julia McNeill DEPUTY VIDEO Min Ji Kim SENIOR Veronica Liow Social Media

Akiva Thalheim

1 p.m.: News, Opinion 1:30 p.m.: Culture 2 p.m.: Arts 2:30 p.m.: Sports, Under the Arch 3:30 p.m.: Multimedia, Design

THIRD NORTH 75 Third Ave., North Tower, #SB07

Senior Staff Victor Porcelli, Meghna Maharishi CULTURE Faith Marnecheck ARTS Guru Ramanathan SPORTS Zach Han, Brendan Duggan NEWS

Deputy Staff Jared Peraglia, Mansee Khurana FILM Claire Fishman THEATER & BOOKS Alex Cullina MUSIC Nicole Rosenthal CULTURE Anna de la Rosa DINING Arin Garland BEAUTY & STYLE Carol Lee NEWS

Opinion Page EDITOR Hanna Khosravi, Melanie Pineda DEPUTY Sarah John, Cole Stallone

Under the Arch

MANAGING EDITOR Pamela EDITOR Yasmin Gulec,

Jew

Natalie Chinn

DEPUTY EDITOR Joel Lee, Anna Muratova MULTIMEDIA Katie Peurrung DEPUTY MULTIMEDIA

Justin Park

CREATIVE WRITING

George Hajjar, Maxine Duzgunes ADVERTISING Business Manager

Brian Christensen Zapiecki Director of Sales

Allison Lambdin Director of Marketing and Logistics

Lukas Villarin

Creative Director, Blacklight

Syanne Rios

Account Associates

Mel Bautista, Ian Michael Clements Cecilia Lopez-Jordan ADVISING

Director of Operations

Nanci Healy

Editorial Adviser

Rachel Holliday Smith Editors-at-Large

Amanda Burkett, Sarah Jackson, Sayer Devlin, Rachel Buigas-Lopez, Laura Shkouratoff, Jemima McEvoy, Tianne Johnson, Janice Lee ABOUT WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published in print on Mondays and throughout the week online during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods.

CORRECTIONS: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact the managing editors at managing@nyunews.com.