NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Vol. 43, No. 14
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015
nyunews.com STUDENT LIFE
NYU Secrets passes the torch By MARITA VLACHOU News Editor
STAFF PHOTO BY RACHEL KAPLAN
Nathan Pike finished this season with an 18-5 record. He is now preparing for the NCAA East Regional in order to advance to the National Championships.
SECRETS continued on PG. 3
STORY ON PAGE 5
STAFF PHOTO BY MATHILDE VAN TULDER
VIA THEGAZELLE.ORG
INSIDE THIS ISSUE The Gazelle: NYU Students demand human rights action NYU students release a letter in reaction to the most recent Human Rights Watch report. STORY on PG. 2
What an NYUCard can get you A look at the discounts and free services available to NYU students, from museums to motor rentals. STORY on PG. 4
STAFF PHOTO BY RACHEL KAPLAN
Profile of wrestler Nathan Pike The junior talks about his athletics career since coming to New York City after he transferred to NYU this past semester. STORY on PG. 5
Rikers Island needs to reform ILLUSTRATION BY JOURDAN ENRIQUEZ
NYU Secrets will close down after 9,000 posts, but the page’s followers will still be able to share their anonymous secrets through a new page titled NYUSecrets. After only one day the new page has 5,230 likes. NYU Secrets, which has been active since November 2012, was made for sharing anonymous secrets and building a community within the university. NYU Secrets founder Aristo Orginos said community response was the main reason he chose to allow NYU Secrets to continue on a different page. “So many people said that for better or for worse, NYU Secrets was an integral part of their experience here,” Orginos said. “A lot of people said they weren’t ready to see the page end, which to me meant that the page hadn’t
After several reports of abuse at Rikers Island Correctional Facility, New York City cannot continue to ignore misconduct. STORY on PG. 7
FEATURES
‘Blackfish’ writer talks animals, tech By ZOE THOMPSON Staff Writer
Activists and writers gathered at NYU’s Hemmerdinger Hall on Friday for the Digital Animals Conference. The conference was held to confront the unique set of problems that technology poses to animals, who participants argued are often ignored in the name of progress. CAS junior Celia Salisbury, who majors in animal studies, considers collaborative nature of such events as a vital part of fomenting dialogue on animal rights. “I think that New York is a central area for issues like this, and especially at NYU there’s a lot of people who are activists who have their own passions,” Salisbury said. “It’s a really good cause.” Tim Zimmerman, the associate producer and writer of the documentary “Blackfish,” gave a personal account of journalism and the powers of digital activism. “Blackfish” is a narrative based on the captivity of killer whales in SeaWorld. “What sparked my interest in
animal welfare was the captive life of a killer whale and the welfare issues surrounding their lives in captivity,” Zimmerman said. “The more I thought about it, the more I thought, ‘Well why just killer whales?’ I became much more aware in thinking about animal welfare issues more broadly.” For Zimmerman, the biggest technological threat to animal welfare is the food people choose to eat. He said the lack of public understanding regarding animal farming and food production has had a vast impact on animal protection. “I think without doubt the biggest issue related to animal welfare is factory farming, where animals are living just unspeakably difficult and painful lives ending in slaughter for the consumption and production of cheap meat that we all eat,” Zimmerman said. “If you just consider the number of animals, the scale and suffering involved, it dwarfs pretty much all other animal issues.” However, both Zimmerman and Joanna Zelman, the co-sponsor of the event and editor of the animal
welfare website The Dodo, argued that technological advances could also be used for animal protection. “I think we are learning that there is digital risks, but there is also a lot of benefits to having technology,” Zelman said. “Now, we can hunt down poachers who are killing rhinos with drones and do medical research now that isn’t testing on animals.” Zimmerman said social media has proven to be a highly effective way to promote animal issues, adding that a major component of the success of “Blackfish” was the reaction it received on sites like Twitter and Facebook. “[Technology] is hugely powerful in exposing information and the reality of different experiences that animals have in terms of when they are used in human commerce and entertainment,” Zimmerman said. “Thinking about the “Blackfish” experience, there is no question that digital tools have had an enormous impact on SeaWorld and other marine parks.” Email Zoe Thompson at features@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM
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COMPILED BY THE
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS Editor-in-Chief
VALENTINA DUQUE BOJANINI Managing Editor
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HANNAH TREASURE
THEME II: A GRAIN OF SALT
Creative Director, Special Editions
“WHAT I WISH I HAD KNOWN” from a senior
By JORDAN MELENDREZ Editor-at-Large The cliché way of putting it, is that hindsight is always 20/20. But that comes with being a senior. The one thing I wish I would have known prior to attending NYU: how to make time pass slower. As an 18-year-old, freshfaced from high school, time had always seemed to lag. High school trudged on the same way you attended class: grudgingly. Those four years dragged on stubbornly until graduation, the pinnacle of your adolescence. But then college started. Welcome Week flew by, and everyone added hundreds of phone numbers to their contacts because they were desperately trying to network (Kelsey from Hayden Residence Hall, I still have your number). Classes started, and they were more fruitful and in-
teresting than ever before. Professors were more engaging. Your peers were intellectually stimulating. Fall semester turns into spring semester, and you find yourself looking forward to returning to your New York friends after breaks. You finally find your niche, your clubs, your coffee shops, your study places, your loves, your hates. Freshman year turns into sophomore year. You study abroad, spend all of your money, but an empty wallet still doesn’t bother you — you live in New York city, after all. Junior year starts. Internships are hectic. Jobs are crazier. The next thing you know, you’re 21, and you’re celebrating at a bar because your friend was just hired. For a job. A real-person job. Somehow, you only have 100 days left of undergrad. I know what you’re thinking, fake ID-wield-
ing, invincible-feeling, underclassmen: “I still have plenty of time.” Of course you do. I only urge you to learn how to slow it down for yourself. Whenever my family checked in on me freshman year, they always asked if I needed anything. I always responded, “More time.” That was a silly thing to say. I had — have — all the time in the world. It’s just a matter of controlling it. And, it’s a bit different than the time management your professors preach. In her essay “The Opposite of Loneliness,” Marina Keegan, the Yale University student who tragically died in a car accident after her college graduation in 2012, wrote, “The notion that it’s too late to do anything is comical. It’s hilarious. We’re graduating college. We’re so young. We can’t, we must not lose this sense of possibility because in the end, it’s all we have.”
When you’re walking up Broadway, engulfed by the city and the millions of people, slow down. When you’re studying with friends at 3 a.m., pause. You’re in New York City. Time moves faster here. Don’t let it. Don’t let the New York minute get the best of you. The real world feels like it’s just one step away, and in a way, it is. But you’re here at NYU, and while your graduation date is marked, remember that possibilities are endless. You can stretch time. You can conquer it. I’m sorry to conclude that I don’t hold the answer about HOW to slow down your time. It’s for you to discover. Consider this your four-year, threeyear, two-year or 100-day warning that time is precious. It’s not about, and it’s never about, how much time you have. It’s how you spend it.
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Birobidzhan NYU professor Gennady Estraikh will hold a lecture, along with a screening of “L’Chayim, Comrade Stalin!” The event will be held in the King Juan Carlos I of Spain Center at 6:30 p.m.
AMY LU, BEN SWINEHART SALES ASSOCIATES
MIKE GROTT, LUXI PENG GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
KALEEL MUNROE CIRCULATION MANAGER
JESSICA TIEN
French Literature in the Making French writer Mathias Enard and journalist Olivier Barrot will speak about French literature at La Maison Française NYU at 7 p.m.
CIRCULATION ASSISTANTS
ALEX HANSON, FIONA GORRY-HINES
ADVISING DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
NANCI HEALY
Legacy in the Dust: The Four Aces Story
A teddy bear panhandles on a sidewalk near Bedford Avenue.
STAFF PHOTO BY SANG BAE
Vivien Goldman will present “Legacy in the Dust,” a documentary about a British bar that acted as a meeting spot for the London Caribbean population. The screening is in 20 Cooper Square Room 471 at 6:30 p.m. TODAY’S EVENTS ARE FREE FOR NYU STUDENTS.
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EDITORS-AT-LARGE
TATIANA BAEZ, NICOLE BROWN, ALEX GREENBERGER, CLIO MCCONNELL, JORDAN MELENDREZ About WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published Monday through Thursday during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods. Corrections: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact the managing editors at managing@nyunews. com or at 212.998.4302.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
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THE GAZELLE: NEW YORK STUDENTS RELEASE DEMAND LETTER ON LABOR STANDARDS Published on TheGazelle.org, NYU Abu Dhabi’s weekly student publication, on Feb. 21, 2015 By JOEY BUI Editor-in-Chief On Feb.17, following the release of a new Human Rights Watch report revealing labor standard violations on Saadiyat Island construction projects, NYU Coalition for Fair Labor, along with 10 other groups at NYU, sent an open demand letter to President John Sexton, NYU Board of Trustees Chairman Martin Lipton and Vice Chancellor Al Bloom. The undersigned groups include five NYU Law student groups and the American Association of University Professors, NYU Chapter. In the letter, the groups claim that they “continue to be appalled by increasing reports of human rights violations that occurred during the construction of the NYU Abu Dhabi campus, and which seem set to continue.” The letter demands a public response from university administration by March 1 and, according to the Coalition’s
press release, “promises further escalation if this deadline is not met.” The four demands of the letter are summarized in this excerpt from the Coalition’s blog post: “We demand that NYU: 1) Justly compensate NYUAD construction workers who were jailed and deported 2) Secure workers’ freedom of association, right to organize, right to strike and collectively bargain by amending the Statement of Labor Values 3) Disclose the confidential Code of Conduct 4) Implement the Statement of Labor Values by appointing independent labor compliance monitors.” When contacted by The Gazelle, John Sexton and Al Bloom asked NYUAD Director of Public Affairs and Community Relations Greg Bruno to provide the following response: “We have received the letter from student, faculty and worker organizations at NYU and will be responding to them directly. But speaking generally,
we take seriously any suggestion that our labor standards may not have been adhered to in some cases. This is what led to the appointment of Nardello & Co., an international investigation firm, which has been tasked with examining these allegations, and whose report is expected this spring.” “It is worth pointing out that the matters raised in the recent letter, in the HRW report and in media reports from last spring are based upon the same claims,” Bruno added. “They should not in any way lead one to conclude that: ‘violations… seem set to continue.’ In fact, all evidence would suggest the contrary. With the construction phase of our campus complete, and our move to Saadiyat Island now complete, we continue to build upon our successful track record with our operational workers to ensure that they are treated in accordance with our labor standards and the values of our community. Not only do members of the [NYUAD] community
SECRETS continued from PG. 1
personally know these men and women, but the joint compliance program for campus operations that we have developed with our government partners has proven highly effective at identifying and resolving issues in an expedient manner.” Andrew Ross, a founding member of the Coalition and faculty leader, said that a demand letter was necessary because NYU administration has ignored the Coalition’s advice on past accounts. “NYUAD’s name would not be associated with labor abuse today if the administration had listened to our advocacy of independent monitoring and other
labor standards,” wrote Ross to The Gazelle. Ross, on a more positive note, pointed out that many different groups at NYU have been pursuing change. “NYU students and faculty, in Abu Dhabi and NYC, are now insisting that NYU be part of the solution,” added Ross. “We’d like to see the administration take publicly proactive steps, as a research university should, in coming up with solutions to some of our host society’s challenges — in this case, reform of the kafala sponsorship system.” For the rest of the story, go online to TheGazelle.org.
CRIME LOG
New page to share new secrets
finished its purpose.” CAS sophomore Gagarin Zhao said she was skeptical of liking the new page at first. “I only liked the page today,” Zhao said. “I’ve been debating whether or not I should follow the new NYU Secrets page because I wasn’t sure if it would live up to my expectations, and that not many people would like it.” Orginos said he will not be involved in handling the new page and will not have access to the secrets submitted. “I won’t be involved in the new page except to get it running and act as an initial mentor to the new admin,” Orginos said. “I will see no secrets and have no permissions on the page itself.” Zhao said she believes Orginos made a careful decision regarding the administrator of the new page. “I trust that Orignos has chosen the new administrator carefully, and that he/she would be a good enough person to not divulge any sensitive information,” Zhao said. “With great power, comes great responsibility, and I am optimistic that the new admin would handle his power delicately.” SPS freshman Gabriel Koatz
GRAPHIC BY MARIKO KURODA/THEGAZELLE
feb. 12 to 18
By CHRISTINE PARK Staff Writer
VIA FACEBOOK.COM
said he thinks the new page will not compromise privacy for those who submit secrets. “I didn’t feel any sense of privacy infringement, because I think people are signing a sort of unwritten waiver of consent in which they know the potential consequences of messaging a secret to the admin,” Koatz said. “I think the key here is keeping anonymity, which is why the admin should be anonymous. Anonymity is not a one way street. If the poster’s identities are going to be kept secret, then the admin shouldn’t be an exception.” However, some students still feel the new page will not help foster community within NYU. CAS senior Maegan Vazquez said she is not interested in the con-
tinuation of NYU Secrets. “I honestly don’t care,” Vazquez said. “It serves no relevance outside of the NYU community.” Orginos said he hopes to see the new page accomplish even more than the original did. “I want to see this new page far surpass what the original one has been able to do,” Orginos said. “I am extremely confident with who I have given this page to and have a strong belief that s/he will give a fresh direction to the page that stays true to the core tenets of the original. NYU Secrets has always been about community building. I think this next person will put my efforts to shame.” Email Marita Vlachou at mvlachou@nyunews.com.
The NYU Department of Public Safety received reports of five incidents of larceny, three incidents of illegal substance possession and one incident of criminal mischief in the past week.
Center. The DVD players were last seen on Feb. 6 at 9:30 p.m. and were found missing on Feb. 10 at around 9 p.m. A student reported that he lost his wallet between 8 and 9 p.m. on Feb. 18. He said $200 were missing when he found the wallet at the NYU lost and found on Feb. 19 at 3 p.m.
Larceny
Illegal Substance
At 2:05 p.m. on Feb. 12, a student reported that his coat had gone missing after a job fair in Rogers Hall between 11:20 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. The New York Police Department did not file a report. At 4:10 p.m. on Feb. 12, Public Safety received a report from a staff member stating that three UPS boxes went missing between Feb. 11 at 5:00 p.m. and Feb. 12 at 9:00 a.m. The New York Police Department filed a report. At 1 p.m. on Feb. 16, Public Safety called the New York City Police Department after someone unaffiliated with NYU attempted to steal books from the NYU Bookstore. The NYPD arrived at the scene and detained the individual, who also received a notice of trespass. At 4:50 p.m. on Feb. 18, Public Safety received a report from a staff member that two DVD players were missing from two different classrooms in the Silver
On Feb.15, at 2:05 a.m., Public Safety helped the Residence Life staff at Palladium Residence Hall confiscate a small amount of marijuana. On Feb. 15, at 4:45 a.m., Public Safety confiscated a small amount of marijuana from a dormitory room at Palladium Residence Hall. On Feb. 15, at 9:10 p.m., Public Safety confiscated a small amount of marijuana from a dormitory room at Second Street Residence Hall. All the above illegal substance incidents were closed.
Malicious Mischief On Feb. 18 at 1:30 p.m., the NYPD was informed about graffiti drawn on the handicap ramp at the Gould Plaza. The NYPD filed a report. Email Christine Park at news@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM
FEATURES
EDITED BY MARINA ZHENG FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM
The perks of being an NYU student By PILAR MELENDEZ Contributing Writer That little purple NYUCard has a massive annual price tag — any of its redeeming financial benefits should be public information. While free condoms in dorm buildings and free transportation courtesy of Safe Ride have become common knowledge, students are also granted benefits like discounted movie tickets or free pregnancy tests. To save time and money, here are five benefits to being an NYU student that not everyone knows about.
1. Free museums Students have access to free admission to 12 museums across New York City. Notable ones include the Museum of Modern Art, the New Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Frick Collection. Looking for an interesting exhibition at these participating museums? Log onto the Museum Gateway page on NYU’s official homepage for a list of the best exhibits and shows for that specific month.
STAFF PHOTO BY MATHILDE VAN TULDER
The Museum of Modern Art offers free admission to NYU students. It is one of 12 museums students have free access to in the city.
2. Free pregnancy tests, HIV and affordable STI testing
3. Hotel, car and Amtrak discounts
While it is known that NYU provides confidential exams and treatments for all enrolled students, free pregnancy tests are also offered at the Student Health Center. This benefit also covers HIV Rapid tests, pap smears and STI exams. To make an appointment for an HIV Rapid Test or women’s health test, log onto the NYU Student Health Center and click the link to select a time online or call during regular business hours.
All students are eligible for up to a 20 percent discount with Amtrak, participating hotels in New York City and Washington, D.C., and car rentals at Avis Car Rental and Enterprise Rent-a-Car with proof of university enrollment. To receive all these discounts, click “Book” on the main page of NYU Traveler. Reservations made through NYU Traveler will ensure the discount, though the percentage is determined by the city and time of booking.
4. Student discounts from various retailers Most food establishments like Space Market and Bare Burger around Washington Square Park make their discounts or acceptance of NYU Campus Cash known, but flashing your ID at Topshop, J.Crew and Club Monaco can save you at least 15 percent as well. The discount is not limited to food and clothes. A student ID card can get you discounts almost everywhere, including Sprint, The New York Times and Amazon.
5. Ticket Central Look to Ticket Central specials to find deals on Broadway, sports and movies. In order to buy these discounted tickets, students can go to Skirball or Kimmel Center for University Life in person or order them online. While the availability is limited for these reduced tickets, $32 for “Into the Woods” and $27 for a Brooklyn Nets game are worth the attempt. Email Pilar Melendez at features@nyunews.com.
‘Brother Outsider’ comes to NYU By DHRITI TANDON Staff Writer
The NYU Bookstore recently celebrated African American History Month by revering the life of social and political activist Bayard Rustin with the screening of “Brother Outsider”, a documentary about Rustin’s life that won 25 international awards and honors through its use of rare archival footage. The event was followed by a question and answer session with the film’s directors, Nancy Kates and Bennett Singer. Walter Neagle, the author of “Bayard Rustin: The Invisible Activist”, was also present to read an excerpt from his book. Rustin, a follower of Gandhi’s ideals, is a non-violent political activist who endured hardships of being openly gay during the 1950s. Neagle and Singer noted that young people in particular could learn from Rustin’s life. “Really what needs to be done and continue to be done is partly what we’re doing tonight — to really educate people, especially the younger generation, many of them who are at the streets dem-
onstrating about police brutality and also about infinite equality,” Neagle said. Kates said the documentary’s real intention was to make people aware of defining moments in Rustin’s life. “‘Brother Outsider’ is not a message film. But it tends to inspire viewers and audiences, primarily because of Rustin’s total commitment to his beliefs, starting in the 1940s as a young activist working on both racial segregation and peace issues,” Kates said. “He believed in nonviolent direct action, which he taught to thousands of people, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” The inspiration for this awardwinning endeavor came from yet another biography chronicling Rustin’s life. “I was inspired to make the film after reading a review of Jervis Anderson’s biography of Rustin, entitled ‘Bayard Rustin: Troubles I’ve Seen,’ which came out in 1997,” Kates said. “I was amazed by the breadth of his career, and how much he accomplished in his 75 years.”
VIA EVENTS.NYU.EDU
Bayard Rustin, the subject of “Brother Outsider,” recently came to the NYU Bookstore. Singer and Kates faced challenges in naming the while creating the documentary. Originally named “American Socrates,” the producers changed the title to “Brother Outsider” after they realized not many Americans could relate to that title. “I think the title works
more specifically with Rustin, who was forced to remain an outsider in the movements he served, primarily because he was gay, which was not acceptable in the political realms of the 1940s60s,” Kates said. Stern freshman Ola Abelrehaman said, “Before today, I didn’t know
much about Bayard’s Rustin’s life and political work and this event was a great way know more about this heroic figure. Rustin truly is an apt personality to celebrate African American history month.” Email Dhriti Tandon at features@nyunews.com.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
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SPORTS
EDITED BY BOBBY WAGNER SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Weekend Wrap-Up: Feb. 20-22 By STANLEY WU Contributing Writer
Men’s Basketball
Nathan Pike wrestles during a match against Stevens Institute.
Pugilist Pike packs powerful punch
By JONATHAN SCHIFMAN Contributing Writer
After earning the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards for the Mt. San Antonio College wrestling team last year, junior Nathan Pike was recruited by several schools, but none appealed to him more than NYU. Since coming to New York City, he hasn’t missed a beat. With an 18-5 record, Pike has played an integral role in the wrestling team’s success this season. “They flew me out here on a recruiting trip and it was my first time in New York,” Pike said. “I was blown away by the lifestyle here, and I really wanted to come here.” He won two matches in the University Athletic Association Championship to help NYU capture its fourth straight title, and is tied for the lead on the team with seven technical falls and seven major decisions on the season. Pike’s success in his first year as a Grappler was highlighted when he was named to the AllUAA team for the 133-pound weight class. “As of now, my biggest moment has been making the AllUAA team,” Pike said. “However, I think it’s a big moment anytime I come out of a match with a win. It’s very hard to downplay what it feels like to win a wrestling match.” Pike’s successes are due in large part to two main factors: training time and mental preparation. The wrestling team practices six times per week, going through drills and intrasquad wrestling matches. Perhaps more important than training, Pike enjoys being on the mat.
“The key to success is obviously to put in the time, but what’s more important is doing the little things and paying attention to the little details that your opponents forget about,” Pike said. “You have to separate yourself from the competition to succeed. Plus, a lot of it is having the right mental attitude toward it all. You have to walk into the wrestling room and love what you’re about to do.” Pike, an economics major who enjoys snowboarding and skateboarding, did not expect to adapt to a new school and team as quickly as he did. After connecting with the team and getting off to a strong start earlier in the season, he began to set high goals for himself and his teammates: to become NCAA Division III National Champions. “Everyone has been putting in their fullest efforts in the wrestling room and our results are reflecting that,” Pike said. “I think the reason for everyone putting in so much effort is because we all want to help each other succeed. I think each individual has great potential and if we play our cards right and train hard there is no reason we shouldn’t have the whole team making it to nationals and becoming All-Americans.” The Grapplers ended the regular season with a 21-3 record, and are now preparing for the NCAA East Regional in hopes of advancing to the National Championships. The East Regional will take place on March 1 at Ferrum College in Roanoke, Virginia. Email Jonathan Schifman at sports@nyunews.com.
Women’s Basketball NYU’s women’s basketball also lost to the WashU Bears Friday night, finishing with a score of 59-46. Sophomore guard Kaitlyn Read brought in 15 points and 11 rebounds, while junior forward Megan Dawe scored nine points and four rebounds. NYU racked up nine fouls in the first half, as
SCOREBOARD
STAFF PHOTO BY RACHEL KAPLAN
On Friday, NYU dropped a conference game at Washington University in St. Louis, losing 9775. Junior guard Hakeem Harris played tenaciously, raking in 30 points, while junior forward Evan Kupferberg racked up 12 points and two steals. Although the Violets matched the Bears in inside scoring and rebounds, WashU made more plays in the end. NYU lost 77-60 to the University of Chicago on Sunday. Despite efforts by Harris, Kupferberg and junior guard Ross Udine, the Violets were unable to overcome the Maroon defense. Kupferberg pushed NYU forward, scoring 21 points and 10 rebounds. The Maroons maintained an upper hand on rebounds though, finishing the game with 38 to NYU’s 31.
the Bears maintained a resilient offense that led the game in rebounds and second-chance points. The Violets lost again on Sunday by a final score of 66-55 to the University of Chicago, completing a tough weekend for the basketball teams. The Violets were plagued by a rough first half, being outscored 41-30. They played the Maroons evenly in the second half, but that was not enough to gain the win. NYU finished with 16 points from turnovers and 16 second-chance points.
Men’s Volleyball The Violets ended their Thursday night game in a disappointing fashion, losing by a final score of 3 sets to none against Keane University. Outside hitters junior Nick Benson and sophomore Chase Klein were bright spots in the loss, with their respective 14 and 10 kills. Sophomore setter Patrick Merrick played a strong game as well, ending with six digs and 27 assists. NYU pulled close on the scoreboard in the first and third sets, but was unable to maintain any consistency. Saturday night brought better news, as NYU beat Wentworth Institute of Technology 3-2. After shaky first and third sets, the Violets righted the ship in the fifth, when Benson’s kill secured NYU’s
MEN’S BASKETBALL SUN FRI
win. Benson gave a superb performance, ending the game with 18 kills and six digs, while senior libero Andrew Quirk had 12 digs and three assists in addition to Merrick’s 45 assists. The men’s volleyball team once again showed a knack for winning close games, as they took care of Emmanuel College on Sunday with a score of 3-2. Although their strong victory in the first set was followed by a few rocky sets, the Violets powered through to victory in the final two sets. The fifth set remained close until sophomore middle hitter Sean Leahy’s kill locked in a win for NYU.
Men’s Wrestling In the last dual meet of the season, the NYU Grapplers won 4210 against Daniel Webster College Saturday night. The Grapplers finished seven of nine bouts victorious. Sophomore Nick Matthews, senior John Guarino and junior Brian Anderson all started strong with first-period pins. The win brought NYU’s dual meet record to 21-3, an indication of the Grapplers’ competitive capabilities, growing experience and overall impressive performance heading into the end of their season. Email Stanley Wu at sports@nyunews.com.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
@ University of Chicago L 60-77 @ Washington University at St. Louis L 75-97
SUN FRI
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL SUN @ Emmanuel College W 3-4 FRI @ Wentworth Institute of Technology W 3-2 THURS @ Keane University L 0-3
@ University of Chicago L 55-66 @ Washington University at St. Louis L 46-58
TRACK FRI @ Ramapo College Roadrunner Indoor Tune-Up (site: 168th St. Armory) 8th of 23 teams
GRAPHIC BY ALEXA WONG
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM
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NYUNEWS.COM The New York Times Syndication Sales Corporation
Eighth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10018 THE620For NEW TIMES CROSSWORD & DAILY SUDOKU InformationYORK Call: 1-800-972-3550 For Release Monday, February 23, 2015
Crossword ACROSS 1 Groundbreaking 4 After-bath powder 8 ___-ski 13 Sounds during a massage 15 Gorbachev’s land 16 New York hotel in “The Great Gatsby,” with “the” 17 Smile 18 Arctic seabird 19 One paying close attention 20 Kind of case for a lawyer 22 Beer, slangily 24 “A League of ___ Own” (1992 film) 25 Skype necessity 27 Howled, as the wind 29 Faux ___ (social slip-up) 30 Tennis great Arthur
34 Where you might see the sign “Do not feed the animals” 36 Youngest “Downton Abbey” daughter 38 Building add-on 39 Get ___ on (ace) 40 Ruffles, as the hair 42 Texter’s “Wow!” 43 Basil and bay leaf 45 Beaks 46 Big name in video games 47 Zilch 48 Neither Rep. nor Dem. 49 Green dip, for ashort 51 Disappointing response to “Is it ready?” 54 Hurdles for future docs 57 Really bothers 60 Kind of barbecue or mine
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE B A S K E D B R A S S H A T
U P H E R E B I G M O U T H
F R O L I C S C R A B B L E
F I G L E A F H O C B A A
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K A Z A K K H O J A A C K E
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E B A R C O D E K S U P P L O O O T S B R E T E U R E S Y D E A T C H T A L E E P A L N I S M U R S E P S A T
62 Mystic’s device with letters and numbers
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PUZZLE BY JEAN O’CONOR
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35 Fit for service
28 Home of Cheyenne: Abbr. 31 Like alpine peaks … or what each half of 3-, 7-, 9-, 37- and 44-Down can be? 32 Prefix with sphere 33 Vet 34 Newswoman Paula
38 Take for granted
56 Sneak (in)
41 Brain activity meas.
57 Goes bad
44 Heist of a sort
58 Jean who wrote “The Clan of the Cave Bear”
6 Baton Rouge sch. 7 Shellfish hors d’oeuvres 8 Sleeper’s breathing problem 9 Farmer with oxen 10 “Gosh darn it!” 11 O.T. book before Daniel 12 Dress in Delhi 14 Escargot 21 Tops of waves 23 Some colas
37 Easter costume
48 Suffix with meteor 50 Teen skin ailments 52 Five Norse kings 53 Souse
55 Supermodel Cheryl
59 Jazzy Simone 61 “Hey you!” 64 Old record label
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NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY TESS WOOSLEY OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
UNIVERSITY LIFE
Next NYU Secrets admin should be public By MATTHEW TESSLER Deputy Opinion Editor
The next NYU Secrets administrator has been selected, but this individual should not remain anonymous — his or her name must be made public with secret number 9,001. The original NYU Secrets administrator, Aristo Orginos, was unmasked against his will, but that does not mean the next person should stay in the shadows. The anonymity of NYU Secrets allows it to thrive, but releasing the individual’s name would maintain the level of trust that currently exists between the administrator and students. In the past few months the page has continued to grow, proving that it can thrive even with a public administrator. This step toward transparency would benefit the NYU Secrets community as a whole. Orginos plans to end the original NYU Secrets page at 9,000 posts because he feels the page “became more and more of a job and less and less of a passion.” In an effort to keep the community alive, he has personally selected a successor and given his full support to the
new page. In a cautionary move to keep the identities of those behind the original 9,000 secrets hidden, an entirely new page has been created. This makes complete sense. All the secrets are attached to their owner by the message or email sent to the administrator, and handing off those names to an untested administrator would be unwise. Once the title is handed off, the risk of exposure for those who submit will begin again. The secrets will start flowing in and the administrator will soon have a huge collection of names associated with secrets. It is impossible to know whether this new administrator can be trusted — despite the vetting process Orginos implemented. If the new administrationever exposed the new confessors, only Orginos would know who leaked the names. The community would re-
spond by abandoning the page, but the administrator could not be held accountable. The best way to protect the anonymity of the confessors is for the administrator to give up theirs. This will give the public collateral in exchange for trusting someone with its secrets. Though the task is burdensome, the privilege and responsibility of running the page should come with the individual’s credibility at stake. Such a responsibility can only be properly maintained if the result of malfeasance is the wrath of the entire community. Leaking the identities of the NYU Secrets submitters would be a major issue for the entire community. While this community is founded on the trust placed in the administrator, it is unwise to have that much faith in an anonymous person. The next head of NYU Secrets must recognize the importance of the trust users place in the page’s security. Knowing the name of the administrator would provide muchneeded reassurance. Email Matthew Tessler at mtessler@nyunews.com.
POLITICS
Walker’s ‘elitist’ college critique unproductive By CHRISTINA COLEBURN Senior Editor
As Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker surged in polls among prospective GOP presidential candidates last week, he ignited a debate about the value of a college degree. The controversy stems from the fact that Walker left 34 credits short of graduation from Marquette University to work at the American Red Cross. The likely 2016 contender fired back at those who suggested his lack of a bachelor’s degree was concerning, saying in an interview on Fox News’ “The Kelly File” that the criticism was “elitist.” Although discussions about the utility of a college diploma are worth exploring from a variety of socioeconomic angles, it is unproductive for elected officials to frame the conversation with the parameters of elitism. It is true that candidates’ records, proposals and ideas should be more carefully considered than their college education, but dismissing the debate surrounding college degrees as elitist oversimplifies the issue’s complexity. Pursuing higher education may not be the right path for every person. About two-thirds of Americans have
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not graduated from college. There are professions in high demand that do not require college diplomas, such as information technicians or product promoters. Prominent education officials have also said degrees do not necessarily equate to success. This is important to consider when nearly 70 percent of 2013 graduates left college with approximately $30,000 in student loan debt. Walker — who, if elected, would be the 12th president without a college diploma — even noted that companies like Apple and Facebook were started by individuals who dropped out of a university. These examples demonstrate that the value of college is contested, but the reality is that many Americans are still attending college to meet the demands of the changing market. Data indicates that college has
a sound return on investment, and the pay disparity between those with four-year diplomas and those without continues to grow. Nearly 40 percent of working-age Americans have earned bachelor’s degrees, which jobs increasingly require. The concern is not joining elitist ranks; it is adapting to the structural changes of the economy. When young Americans choose to invest in higher education, they must consider several complicated factors. Affordability, student debt, career opportunities and employability extend beyond the parameters of bragging rights. Walker’s apathetic dismissal of the matter is detached — particularly given that his state budget proposed slashing $300 million over two years from Wisconsin’s public universities. While the governor’s legislative record should be voters’ prime consideration, Walker should abandon the critique of elitism. Instead, he should direct his energy toward maximizing the value of a university education for the Wisconsin residents who choose to invest in it. Email Christina Coleburn at ccoleburn@nyunews.com.
STAFF EDITORIAL
Reform of Rikers Island long overdue
Rikers Island Correctional Facility has long been known for violent inmates, but recent concerning reports show that the violence has often been perpetrated by the correction officers. A New York Times investigation from Feb. 21 revealed that these incidents were frequently directed at mentally ill inmates. The Times reviewed incident reports from August 2014 to January in order to examine the period after the U.S. Attorney’s office released its own report about the appalling conditions. The office also threatened to sue New York City if the facility did not improve. Despite Mayor Bill de Blasio’s call for “a culture change” at Rikers, there is still an unacceptable number of startlingly violent incidents. While the topic has been frequently discussed in the past few years, the only significant change has been the elimination of solitary confinement for inmates 21-years-old and younger. This progress only came after several government reports discussed the mistreatment of youths at Rikers, similar to the August report that focused on the abuse of those with mental illnesses. The correction officers who perpetrate these crimes are sometimes fired, including five this past January for an offense in 2012, but problems remain. Amir Varick Amma, a social activist who was held at Rikers multiple times, told WSN, “We don’t need police reform, we don’t need criminal justice reform; we need to redesign the whole system.” Rikers Island houses as many people diagnosed with mental illnesses as all 24 psychiatric hospitals in New York state combined. People with mental disorders make up nearly 40 percent of the 11,000 inmates — up 20 percent from eight years ago. Inmates with mental illnesses commit two-thirds of all infractions, and guards are often ill-equipped to deal with them, leading to the use of physical force. As Rikers continues to be the subject of scrutiny, the question of how those with mental illnesses are treated in our society has become more pertinent. The United States imprisons the mentally ill rather than providing them with care, a trend that appears to have started when many state mental institutions closed in the 1980s due to budget cuts. A short-term solution is to show prison guards how to deal properly with mentally ill inmates. Small-scale training in places such as South Carolina have had positive results. Given that workers in psychiatric hospitals undergo intensive training to work among those with mental illnesses, the same standards must be demanded of prison officials. Mistreatment of prisoners is rampant throughout the United States, and desperately needs to be addressed at a federal level. An emphasis should be placed on inmate education and rehabilitation. The past several years have shown that without these systematic changes, abuse of inmates will continue at Rikers.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Tess Woosley (Chair), Annie Cohen (Co-chair), Tommy Collison (Co-chair), Matthew Tessler (Co-chair) ILLUSTRATION BY JOURDAN ENRIQUEZ
Send mail to: 838 Broadway, Fifth Floor New York, N.Y. 10003 or email: opinion@nyunews.com WSN welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles relevant to the NYU community, or in response to articles. Letters should be less than 450 words. All submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. Members of the NYU community must include a year and school or job title.
WSN does not print unsigned letters or editorials. WSN reserves the right to reject any submission and edit accepted submissions in any and all ways. With the exception of the staff editorial, opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of WSN, and our publication of opinions is not an endorsement of them.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015 | NYUNEWS.COM