NYU’s Daily Student Newspaper
washington square news Vol. 42, No. 63
thursday, september 18, 2014
nyunews.com law
Attorney General visits law school By Nicole Johnson Contributing Writer
Left photo by sam bearzi; right staff photo by felipe de la hoz
Men’s soccer remains undefeated with 2-0 shutout, women dominate with 4-1 win Wednesday Captain Mickey Ingerman, senior midfielder, protects the ball while playing against Hunter College (left). Sophomore midfielder Ashley Cardounel races against a Ramapo College player for the ball (right).
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder spoke at NYU Law School’s Tishman Auditorium Sept. 17 about corporate crime and compliance. The event was co-sponsored by the law school’s Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement and Milbank Tweed Forum. It was led by NYU law professors Jennifer Arlen and Geoffrey Miller. Holder began the conference by addressing recent financial crises the United States has faced, including the 2008 recession. He said he understood why the American people are angered by the lack of convictions after the crash. “This has been a source of frustration for the public for a long time,” Holder said. “I understand and share that frustration.
Holder continued on PG. 2
STORIES ON PAGE 8 FEATURES
features
Class of 2018 Facebook Mathematics professor wins award group turns hostile By Tejas A. Sawant Contributing Writer
By Madison Reis Contributing Writer
Creating or joining a Facebook page for one’s freshman class is a tradition now for many students newly accepted to school. This year’s freshman class page, with over 8,000 members from various classes, was no different — until it began to instigate cyberbullying and fraudulent elections. Founded by Steinhardt freshman Kevin Lee, the NYU Class of 2018 Facebook group was an attempt to foster a community. With the help of three other administrators, Gallatin freshman Brian Greco, LS freshman Miles Kilcourse and Steinhardt fresh-
man JR Stein, the group started out as a fun way to unite students. It soon turned toxic. When Class Activities Board elections took place, many freshmen expressed outrage that some, though not all, of the administrators of the Facebook group also ran for CAB leadership positions, seeming to give them an unfair advantage, as they were able to control the postings in the influential group. Even before any of the freshmen actually arrived at Washington Square, hostility began to separate the class and start
2018 continued on PG. 3
Subhash Khot, an NYU mathematics professor, is no stranger to getting into situations with no solution. In fact, he seeks out dire, unsolvable problems — NPhard problems. These types of math problems involve solutions that are typically very difficult to approximate, let alone solve. Khot was recently awarded the Rolf Nevanlinna Prize for his theory, called the Unique Games Conjecture, which aims to achieve the closest feasible solution to NP-hard problems. Khot attributes his success to his upbringing in his hometown of Ichalkaranji, Maha-
rashtra in India, decisively teaching himself to compensate for the dearth of educational facilities. Only awarded to mathematicians below the age of 40, the prize is often considered to be the most prestigious of all accolades for computer scientists. It is awarded only every four years to applied mathematical breakthroughs. NP-problems are essential, yet so incredibly demanding that other awards have been created specifically for problems similar to it, such as the Clay Institute’s award for the P versus NP problem, which will award $1 million for its solution. Nearly everything in math, from graphing and theory to games like Tetris and Battleship, is solvable with the NP-
problems Khot wrangles with. Now, with the possibility of Khot’s solution being the closest to solving the NP-hard problems in polynomial time, there is a chance to solve every other NP-problem in polynomial time as well. There is no doubt that the theory is difficult to explain, even to students who study the subject. Khot tries to relate it to everyday life in terms of distance and time. “For example, you have a salesperson who has to go to a number of cities in a definite period of time. The job now is to find out the shortest time period and shortest distance required to visit all the cities,”
Khot continued on PG. 3
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Washington Square news | thursday, september 18, 2014 | nyunews.com
Panel speaks on Watergate’s legacy
By Christine Park Staff Writer
Experts and historians gathered at Hemmerdinger Hall on Sept. 17 for a sparsely attended panel discussion on how Congress confronted the Watergate scandal and the lessons learned from its outcome. The panel featured former congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman as well as head of the Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives Timothy Naftali. The event was moderated by CAS professor Marilyn Young and was introduced by CAS dean Gabrielle Starr. At the panel, Holtzman discussed former President Richard Nixon’s resignation and the events that led to it, including Nixon’s trial in the Senate. “We had the whole house of judiciary committee — Southern Democrats — all members of that committee saying they support impeachment,” Holtzman said. “There is no question that he would have been impeached and removed from office and that’s why he resigned.” Naftali discussed the scandal and the slowly revealed cover-up that hid Nixon’s abuses of power. Naftali said Nixon’s plan was to move incriminating evidence in 46 million pieces of paper and 4,000 hours of tape to California in August 1974, just before he resigned from office. He added that Nixon was legally allowed to do so. “By tradition, our presidents
owned their papers and kept them, and there was no provision for the public or even the next president to look at them,” Naftali said. Holtzman said the most important aspect of the scandal was how the public and government worked together to confront the crisis. “The most important thing is that the public can make a difference in government,” Holtzman said. “It was the public that forced Congress to start the impeachment proceedings against Richard Nixon.” CAS freshman Dan Velez said he gained new insight on public involvement in the government and the behind-the-scenes aspects of governing. “I gained a new sense of awareness and how our modern politics [are] being built upon and what we have to do going forward if we are to become involved in the modern world, especially regarding constitutional powers of democracy,” Velez said. Naftali ended the panel discussion with an observation on public involvement and the system. “We have all the powers and laws we need, but to get them enforced, we have to be vocal, we have to be active, we have to work with Congress,” Naftali said. “We can never stop because we have a great system, but it’s a system that works if you make it work.” Email Christine Park at news@nyunews.com.
HOLDER continued from PG. 1
Eric Holder discusses corporate crime
But despite the commitment and tireless work of our prosecutors, we cannot bring cases unless, based upon the facts and the law, we believe that we are likely to succeed in court.” Miller said Holder’s thoughts on corporate law were similar to the goals of NYU’s Program on Corporate Compliance and Enforcement. “Attorney General Holder emphasized the importance of developing a culture of compliance within complex organizations and clarified that no institution is too big to prosecute,” Miller said. “He endorsed the growth of effective and robust compliance programs — one of the key objectives of our new program.” Holder added that witnesses are vital for convicting the perpetrators of corporate crime. He referenced an incident in 2011 in which an insider trading case was resolved with the cooperation of someone inside the company, and said witnesses have played an impor-
tant role in retrieving money taken from citizens. “They have strengthened our ability to follow leads, to obtain guilty pleas from subsidiaries of major banks like UBS and RBS and to pursue individual charges against nine former traders and managers at these institutions,” Holder said. “Our ongoing investigation into the manipulation of foreign exchange rates has relied on similar investigative techniques involving undercover cooperators.” Holder also said he wanted to encourage more whistleblowers to come forward, assuring the audience that the government is not afraid to go after any corporation, regardless of its size. “No institution is too large to prosecute,” Holder said. “We must put that myth to rest.” Email Nicole Johnson at news@nyunews.com.
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Students promote “This is Why We March” rally Students from NYU Divest and Earth Matters dressed in swimsuits and beach wear and gathered in the Kimmel Center for University Life on Wednesday to raise awareness for climate change.
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Stern Entrepreneurs Challenge begins today By Anna Ferkingstad Contributing Writer
Stern School of Business’ Berkley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is starting their $200K Entrepreneurs Challenge today with a kick-off at the Paulson Auditorium in Tisch Hall. The competition will take place from September to May and offer handson experience for NYU startups through clinics, boot camps and one-on-one coaching sessions. Since the challenge started in 1999, over 500 students from all schools of NYU have competed for the $200,000 in cash and startup venture services. All students, alumni and faculty are eligible to participate. “[The competition] is one of the largest and most innovative accelerator programs in the world,” associate director of the Entrepreneurs Challenge Loretta Poole said. “It offers a step-bystep process of how to imagine a powerful market disruption and transform it into reality.” Teams will compete in one of three categories — new venture, social venture and technology venture. Online registration for this year’s competition opened on Aug. 14 and will end on Oct. 2. Miriam Altman, a Wagner alumna, was on the team that won the 2012-13 Social Venture section for its app Kinvolved, which used communication tools between families and teachers to target classroom attendance and truancy for at-risk students. Altman said the challenge provided her business team with feed-
back and the capital necessary to launch their app. “They help you set and reach your next milestones,” Altman said of the Berkley Center. Stern alumnus Robert Ritlop, a member of Oculogica, which competed as one of the 2012-13 technology venture teams, said the competition helped him and his partners expand their vision. “It gave our team the confidence to take the next step,” Ritlop said. “It made us realize that commercialization was doable.” Oculogica created a low-cost device that can be used to diagnose and detect head trauma without radiation exposure. Currently, the company is looking to gain regulatory approval and continue to expand its market. “The [challenge] was a microcosm,” Ritlop said. “You know everyone’s level because you can see and hear them across the room. Things are a little more transparent and, in the outside world, you generally don’t have that transparency.” Both Ritlop and Altman said the last round of the competition — the rigorous final pitches and presentations to judges and peers — had the largest impact on them and their teammates. The last day of the challenge will not take place until May 1. Until then, competitors have eight months and a total of four rounds of judging. Once the winners are decided, the $200,000 prize is split among the winners of all three of the categories. Email Anna Ferkingstad at news@nyunews.com.
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nyunews.com | thursday, september 18, 2014 | Washington Square news
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FEATURES
edited by hannah treasure features@nyunews.com
Website games seek to revolutionize job search
By Dhriti Tandon Contributing Writer
In a reinvention of the standard career aptitude tests many high school students take, a New Yorkbased group has launched an interface called pymetrics. Co-founded by Frida Polli and Julie Yoo, the program could make it easier for students to discover fields in which they would be successful. “Think of pymetrics as any other platform that recommends things to you,” Polli said. “People should use it as a tool for exploration, a tool for expanding their horizons.” Pymetrics uses a set of 12 games to test one’s cognitive, emotional and social traits. One game shows the user facial expressions and then asks what emotion the face expressed. The test-takers play the games, and their performance creates a character profile that assesses their best career fit. Similarly, companies can use the tool to find candidates well-suited for their positions. For Polli, her own uncertainty when it came to choosing a career path inspired her to develop pymetrics. “I think that the tools out there were fine, but they were measuring more what I was interested in than what I might be naturally good at,” Polli said. CAS freshman Alice Zhu said NYU students, particularly those who are undecided on their majors and career paths, could use pymetrics as a tool in shaping their future plans. “It measures everything re-
lated to one’s career performance,” Zhu said. “As someone who is undecided about her major, I think pymetrics would be a great tool to help me find my niche.” Polli stressed how pymetrics can offer one a fresh perspective and expose one to new career options. “Students could use pymetrics as a tool for career assessment and companies could find talent that match them,” Polli said. Gallatin sophomore Kimberly Wang said pymetrics can also
[pymetrics’ results] into consideration, but I would also try to think about my future on my own.” For many, though, the routes to their careers were not necessarily well-planned. “I have to say that choosing my career was not a straight path at all, and it is possible that a series of games like the one described could be helpful to me a long time ago,” biology professor Stephen Small said. “I really have no idea how accurate these sorts of predictors are, but I guess one great outcome is that takphoto by matt d goldman
Professor Subash Khot was awarded the Rolf Nevanlinna Prize for his work in theoretical computer science. KHOT continued from PG. 1
Award brings attention to computer science
courtesy of pymetrics
Frida Polli (front left), Julie Yoo (front center) and their team created pymetrics to expose students to new career prospects. serve as a guide for those who have more concrete future plans. “As someone who plans to pursue further education in the brain sciences, I definitely appreciate the concept,” Wang said. “I would take
ing such a test might make people think carefully about careers that they may never have considered.” Email Dhriti Tandon at features@nyunews.com.
Khot said, to explain the time objective of the problem. Professor Bud Mishra, one of Khot’s colleagues, is interested in the possibilities of Knot’s discovery. “Subhash Khot is one of our great complexity theorists, and has energized a deep debate about certain unsolved questions about intractability in computation,” Mishra said. Khot considers this award not only a recognition of his work, but also a way to create awareness about his field in the
larger theoretical computer science realm and, in turn, the entire mathematical community. “Typically, behind any invention there is hard work and a final flash,” Khot said. “You have one bright day and there is a flash. Most of [your attempts] would fail, but you have to be in this state of mind where you are constantly thinking about it.” Additional Reporting by Hannah Treasure. Email them at features@nyunews.com.
2018 continued from PG. 1
Freshman class Facebook group under fire
gossip. Along with the administrators of the group, a few students also became increasingly popular among the class, rising to freshman year fame with a few posted pictures getting hundreds, even thousands of likes. As soon as the administrators and a few other popular users arrived on campus, everyone seemed to know their names, as if they were celebrities. “Somebody came up and grabbed my face,” CAS freshman Hannah Duke said. “It was a strange and objectifying experience.” Another Facebook user who became influential through the group, LS freshman Carly Tennis, experienced a similar situation. “I was super unpopular in high school and now it’s weird because people will come up to me and say ‘Hey, you’re Carly Wonderland,’ and I don’t know them,” Tennis said. These students have become
photos via facebook.com
Screenshots from the Facebook group indicate vulgar language and bullying. objects of public scrutiny. But Duke points out that while social media is an essential part of this generation, the Class of 2018 Facebook group may have
gained too much influence. “People were judging [other] people in a negative sense and taking things out of context and because it’s the internet, and
it’s easier to make sense those judgments,” Duke said. “I guess I kind of brought it on myself because I posted, but I never meant it to become what it has.”
Several posts on the group page have even ignited instances of cyberbullying, particularly the posts about CAB elections. Advertisements from the students running for positions received comments that attacked candidates and even other commenters. The rampant use of slurs and seemingly unprovoked attempts at shaming other users has caused the Class of 2018 group administrators to reconsider the creation of the page altogether. “I think the Facebook group went too far,” Lee said. “I regret in many ways making the Facebook page because there could have been many other ways of facilitating a community. It’s a lesson learned.” Additional reporting by Hannah Treasure. Email them at features@nyunews.com.
nyunews.com | thursday, september 18, 2014 | Washington Square news
arts
edited by alex greenberger arts@nyunews.com
Artist addresses Chinese gender issues By Stephanie Cheng Contributing Writer
Although young French artist Prune Nourry has worked to bring attention to gender imbalance in India in the past, her newest work focuses on how the same issue exists in China. “Terracotta Daughters,” currently on view at the China Institute and done in partnership with the French Institute Alliance Française, reflects on gender selection and the preference for the male child in China. The one-child policy and traditional bias toward men has caused a surplus of men, making the imbalance and inequality of genders a serious issue for Chinese women and girls. Previously exhibited in Shanghai, Paris and Zurich, “Terracotta Daughters” will travel to Mexico City before heading back to Xi’an to be buried, mirroring the original Terracotta Warriors and Horses, a collection of male warrior sculptures that were buried around 210 B.C. “Terracotta Daughters” will be excavated in 2030 when the demographic imbalance is projected to be at its peak. The word warrior brings to mind images of masculinity, violence and wartime. Rather than rows of men bearing swords and shields, 108 lifesized sculptures of young Chinese girls stand in the center of the open white gallery space of the China Institute. Incandescent light bulbs heighten the chiaroscuro effect by accentuating every detail, imprint and smudge on the sculptures. After signing a release form, visitors can interact with the daughters themselves by walking in, around and between each statue. Viewers are given the chance to analyze
On many listeners’ Apple devices, there is a new U2 album waiting to be enjoyed. But if the 11-song album is already downloaded to their iTunes libraries without their consent, is this an invasion of listeners’ privacy? Unfortunately, the 500 million people who received the album, titled “Songs of Innocence,” had no choice but to deal with it when Apple automatically put it into their iTunes libraries on Sept. 9. Although all users were able to see an advertisement on the iTunes homepage for “Innocence,” not all users received it. And for those who got the album, more confusion was created because the album was automatically placed into listeners’ iTunes libraries and iClouds, but not onto listeners’ devices. Apple’s decision to innocuously flood its customers with “Innocence” does not invade privacy because the company did not take any personal details for its own use, collect customer data or hi-
Lead actor excels in veteran story
By Jared Oliff-Lieberman Contributing Writer
Photo by stephanie cheng
Prune Nourry’s sculptures of Chinese girls stand on display. each facial feature up close, allowing them to notice subtle differences between eye size, nose structure and hair placement. Each daughter is dressed in a warrior vest and the notable red scarf of the Young Pioneers in China. To prepare for this project, Nourry collaborated with local Chinese craftsmen to learn the ancestral techniques used to make replicas of the warriors sold to tourists. In Chinese culture, the number eight is connected with success, which inspired Nourry to first sculpt eight prototypes modeled after eight orphan girls. Afterward, craftsmen combined the molds and created 100 other terracotta daughters. Nourry enlisted the help of one of the craftsmen, Wen Xian Feng, to individualize each sculpture by making each set of facial features unique. The exhibition is not limited to the
terracotta statues — it also features a film documenting the whole process of making the sculptures and a series of bronze heads and miniature clay sculptures adorned with acupuncture needles. Nourry focuses on the demographic issues in China by reappropriating the acupuncture needles to suggest imbalance rather than the ancient Chinese philosophy of balance. “Terracotta Daughters” is a refreshing take and interpretation of ancient Chinese culture and ways of thinking. Nourry is able to simultaneously revere Chinese art and call attention to the pressing issue of gender discrimination that persists in China today. “Terracotta Daughters” is on view at the China Institute until Oct. 4.
jack playlists. It simply placed a U2 album in listeners’ iTunes libraries without any previous warning. This addition was certainly a bit unsettling — users are accustomed to choosing for themselves which songs they download. The immediate reaction of the hundreds of millions of iTunes users was not one of enthusiasm. Downloading “Innocence” turned into a game of anxious tapping around on Apple devices, because the album was already hidden in plain sight. The sudden inability to locate where an entire album was on a listener’s device proved discomforting for many people. Removing the album is no easy task either. According to a set of instructions released by Apple on Sept. 15, users must launch the iTunes application via a specific link and then follow the instructions to remove the album. Although the removal process is only four steps long, Apple does not make getting rid of “Innocence” as easy as it should be. Still, it was not an invasion of privacy. It is a marketing ploy hid-
Centered around a decorated U.S. Army medic returning home after 15 months in Afghanistan, “Fort Bliss” is a powerful addition to the growing subgenre of films about veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The distinction of “Fort Bliss” is that its protagonist, a veteran, is a single mother who comes home to discover that her relationship with her 5-year-old son is broken and her son’s new mom is her ex-husband’s fiancée. After an intense open-
via facebook.com
Maggie Swann juggles work and family in “Fort Bliss.”
Email Stephanie Cheng at entertainment@nyunews.com.
U2 album not invasion of privacy By Audrey Deng Contributing Writer
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den under a musical visage, a way to support one of Apple’s frequent collaborators and allow Apple to take the throne of another industry — it is not a scheme to breach their customers’ privacy. Apple would not have made this decision if it believed it would be alienating its customers. If this were a true breach of privacy, Apple would be smart enough to not deploy its scheme using an internationally popular band and over 500 million people. Apple’s decision to spend millions on U2’s newest album and give it away for free may seem like a reckless choice and a colossal waste of money — Apple reportedly lost $100 million — but it should be seen as a power move for the tech giant. No other technological company is wealthy enough to take such a risk, and this places Apple not only at the head of the tech world, but further ahead in the music industry too. Email Audrey Deng at music@nyunews.com.
ing scene that illustrates the brutality of war and the immense challenges an Army medic faces, the remainder of the film shows Sergeant Maggie Swann (Michelle Monaghan) fighting to regain her son’s love and adapting to life at home. After a long career of playing mostly supporting roles and love interests, and recently going toe-to-toe with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in “True Detective,” Monaghan soars as the film’s lead. Monaghan, who appears in every scene, shows off her ability to play tough and strong, as well as vulnerable and damaged, sometimes all at the same time. Maggie is the rare female character that struggles balancing work and family — the working mom that Maggie rep-
resents is relatable for mothers across the country. The fact that Maggie continues on the army base only heightens the importance of her job. The conflict of work and family is intensified in “Fort Bliss” because Maggie’s conflict is not only between family and work, but also between country and family. She knows that she is able to save American lives doing her job, but she must weigh the importance of those lives versus the importance of her relationship with her son. Along with Maggie’s mother-son relationship, writer and director Claudia Myers has her protagonist navigate a number of other relationships throughout the film, allowing for some very fine supporting performances. Most notably, the ever-reliable Ron Livingston stands out as Maggie’s ex-husband, who sympathizes with Maggie but cannot understand how she can put her job above her son. When Maggie takes her truck to the auto repair shop for a new battery, the film’s primary subplot develops as she strikes up a romance with the shop’s Mexican owner Luis. While Myers could have easily taken the romance into cheesy Lifetime territory — and sometimes it comes dangerously close — she is able to keep the trickiest element of the film feeling real. A strong performance by Colombian actor Manolo Cardona is essential. While the film maintains an authentic feel throughout, one war movie cliché that Myers unfortunately could not resist is the slow motion, somber scene that occurs a few times in “Fort Bliss”. But even that can be forgiven because of the strength of the film’s performances. Despite a handful of exceptions, Iraq and Afghanistan war films have largely faltered at the box office, so it is unlikely and unfortunate that “Fort Bliss” will not be seen by a mainstream audience. Myers, who has worked extensively with Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans over the past half-decade, has crafted a delicate and important film that deserves to be seen. Email Jared Oliff-Lieberman at film@nyunews.com.
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Washington Square news | thursday, september 18, 2014 | nyunews.com
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Crossword ACROSS 1 Former Ford full-sizes 5 Divide by zero in a computer program, maybe 8 Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer, e.g. 12 One who gets a charge out of charging? 14 Grassy expanse 15 — 16 Calculated 17 Commercial start for Pen 18 — 19 Lovable 650pound TV character 20 ___-de-Marne (French department) 21 — 22 New Mexico county or its seat 23 Service station sign 24 Display one’s guts 25 Big bird
26 First massproduction auto company outside the U.S. 30 Mess up 31 “Just leave!” 33 Outlier 35 Epitome of thinness 36 Start of a massive renovation, for short 37 Biblical betrayer 40 37-Across, e.g. 44 ___ pop (music genre) 45 Head of Olympus? 47 Open kimono preventer 48 “I am a man more sinn’d against than sinning” speaker 50 It has an analytical writing component, for short 51 Dug up some dirt?
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46 Compete without 37 Co-star of “The a struggle Cannonball Run,” 1981 49 “I Am Woman” singer 38 Changed 39 Kind of dock 41 “We’re not joking about that yet” 42 Michelle Obama campaign target 43 Relieve
51 “I ___ idea” 53 Urgent care workers, for short 55 Org. concerned with pupils 59 Big ___ (Dallas fair icon)
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opinion
edited by CHRISTINA COLEBURN opinion@nyunews.com
Point/counter point: Scottish independence
Scotland should say Yes
Scotland should say No
By Scarlett Curtis Contributing Columnist As a citizen of the U.K., I want Scotland to stay. Scottish independence feels wrong and it is wrong: voting No is the right decision. If Scotland breaks away from the U.K., they are running away from a problem, not solving it. As it stands now, Scotland has the best of both worlds — the political security of being part of one of the world’s largest economies while still having an independent Scottish parliament with power over the country’s health, education and, to a certain extent, tax rates. There is no question that there have been problems regarding Westminster’s relationship with Scotland, but the fact is that a Yes vote will most likely be followed by a victory for the Scottish National Party, which has controlled the Scottish Parliament for the last three years with only minor deviations from Westminster policy. Simply stated, to leave the English economy behind is a huge risk. As of now, Scotland has the freedom to trade with the U.K. easily and without borders. This gives Scottish businesses access to 60 mil-
lion people in the U.K. — Scotland’s most important market as it sells more to the rest of the U.K. than to all other countries combined. Independence would result in insecurity and instability for thousands of businesses. The nationalists do not have a definite plan to replace the pound because they have not acknowledged they will likely lose it. Were Scotland to leave behind the pound, they would put themselves in financial trouble. Separation from one of the most successful currencies in the world would be a huge mistake. All of this upheaval would most likely result in job losses and reduced welfare. One in five Scottish jobs is with a company based in the U.K., and there is no guarantee that these jobs will be secure if Scotland becomes independent. This could result in thousands of job losses, as well as fewer opportunities for Scottish citizens to work with or in the U.K. in the future. The nationalists also have an idealistic plan for welfare that does not consider tax increases and welfare cuts are a significant possibility. Above all else, the U.K. is a deeply patriotic nation, and to rip it apart is to do deep damage to the psyche of that nation. We are a nation of football, of the National Health Service, of poetry and of sometimes great food. It is a place where Andy Murray and Mo Farrah can compete on the same side with the voices of four nations cheering them on. Britain is epic, exciting and diverse — to turn our backs on each other is to break up both a nation and a family. Email Scarlett Curtis at opinion@nyunews.com.
By Séamus Andrew McGuigan Contributing Columnist What is it that makes a nation a nation? A flag? A symbol? Turn on cable news and you will be told that the supporters of Scottish independence are on a “Braveheart”-inspired crusade of national identity. Yet, my country already has a flag, and we already have a national animal — the unicorn, a symbol that appears to have been picked after five whiskies. The argument for independence is not based on pride in what we have, but a desire for something more. In the current political set-up, vastly important issues are controlled by the British Government, which is currently led by a conservative party that holds only one seat in Scotland. This democratic imbalance takes on a very real form when you consider that nuclear submarines are docked 40 miles from Glasgow and the program will be renewed with billions of pounds of our tax money by this government, despite the majority of Scots being entirely opposed to nuclear weapons. The full force of the Westminster institution has been leveled at Scotland, in an opera-
tion titled Project Fear by a leaked Better Together campaign internal memo. From day one, the No campaign has done all they can to scare voters away from Yes. The same politicians and bankers who failed to predict the recession have told us that we are too small, too weak and too poor to go it alone — ignoring that Scotland’s oil reserves, renewable energy and export businesses would make us the 14th richest country in the world by GDP per head of population. Yet the scare stories have been unraveled, and now the polls have swung from a No landslide to a tossup. In response, the leaders of the main U.K. parties have vowed to devolve more power to Scotland in the event of a No vote — a pledge that mentions no specifics. This uncertainty is compounded by members of Prime Minister David Cameron’s own party saying they will block these plans. It is simply too little, too late, and the people of Scotland should not be swayed. This is an argument about economics, foreign policy and democracy — but it is also about a wider belief in social justice that binds us as a nation in a uniquely universal way. I believe that Scots should rule Scotland, because I believe when we see one in five children being born into poverty and have the power to change it, we will. So now, as I look homeward, I dream of seeing not just a new country, but a better country rise into the hall of nations. We look forward to sharing a dram with you there. Email Séamus Andrew McGuigan at opinion@nyunews.com.
staff editorial
NYU community must step up in Sexton replacement search
In light of NYU President John Sexton’s scheduled resignation in March 2016, the first Presidential Search Committee listening session for faculty was held this week. These sessions are meant to give the NYU community a voice in deciding our next leader. The four meetings are open to either faculty, students or staff in order to encourage “candor and forthrightness,” said an NYU spokesperson. However, according to a graduate student in attendance, only five faculty members came to the first meeting. Even among the Presidential Search Committee, which consists of trustees, faculty, deans, students and one administrator, the student senator council chair, the only undergraduate
member, could not attend. The timing of these meetings is not convenient, as they are in the middle of the day when many classes are scheduled. However, given the extensive complaints against Sexton over the past several years, NYU faculty, students and staff who are able to attend the meetings need to take every opportunity available to them to speak about their opinions on the university’s future. The lack of initiative that the NYU community has displayed thus far in finding a replacement for Sexton is unacceptable, especially considering the many grievances that have been expressed during his tenure. Throughout the years, students and faculty have protested against the uni-
versity’s academic issues, the 2031 expansion goals, unethical corporate ties and debt reduction failures. Faculty members have repeatedly approved votes of no confidence in Sexton’s leadership. Several disconcerting stories have been released regarding the current administration, including but not limited to reports of egregious summer home loans, nepotistic housing practices and toxic prioritization of marketing over students. Notably, The New York Times featured an article about labor abuses on the NYU Abu Dhabi campus on its cover last May. During the first listening session, faculty reportedly felt that NYU’s future president should be a top academic, and not someone with a business background. This
EDITORIAL BOARD: Christina Coleburn (Chair), Omar Etman (Co-chair), Adam Fazlibegu (Co-chair), Tess Woosley (Co-chair)
SUBMITTING TO
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.
important argument needs to be voiced by more than five people if it is to be heard. Where are the faculty members who voted in favor of a no confidence motion for Sexton last year? It is not enough to put pressure on Sexton to resign without working to find a better replacement, even in the early stages of the search. Fortunately, there is another faculty session on Sept. 30 at 12:30 p.m., and one for administration staff the same day at 2:30 p.m. It is absolutely critical that those who will be working at NYU for many years to come voice their opinions now if they want to change the way the university is run. But it is even more important that students work to leave NYU better than
they found it. Although these meetings are set to take place during busy class times, change is contingent on the attendance of those who can be present. We encourage students to attend this Friday’s Sept. 19 listening session, which will take place at 11 a.m. on the fifth floor of the Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com. 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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nyunews.com | thursday, september 18, 2014 | Washington Square news
sports
edited by CHRIS MARCOTRIGIANO SPORTS@nyunews.com
Notaro player of the week by DIII
Men’s soccer continues undefeated streak By Nikki Foreman Contributing Writer
By Mike Thompson Contributing Writer
Nicolas Notaro is a rookie when it comes to college athletics. However, as he and the NYU men’s soccer team continue to pick up wins, Notaro, a freshman, looks right at home. This week, Notaro was recognized as The Disney Soccer/ National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division III Men’s Player of the Week. He was also named Eastern College Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week. “It’s great to have been able to contribute to the success of the squad so far, and having an award to show for it is nice,” Notaro said. “But what matters at the end of the day is that the team wins games.” These titles are quite the feat for a freshman. The District of Columbia native has been lighting up scoreboards this season and has helped the Violets storm out to an undefeated start. Notaro has already scored five goals and accumulated 10 total points. This week, Notaro shined brightest. He racked up 2 goals and an assist against the City College of New York on Sept.
Photo by sam bearzi
Forward Nicolas Notaro has scored five goals this season. 10, then followed up against St. John Fisher College on Sept. 13 with another goal and assist. It is not very often a freshman becomes such an important piece of a team’s puzzle so quickly, but Notaro’s teammates insist he fits right in. “Nick has really been having a great first few weeks, and honestly no one is surprised,” freshman goalie Santiago Irigoyen said. “We knew he was going to make a difference right from the start.” Usually, it is the upperclassmen who are seen as role models by the younger players, but Notaro’s stellar play has definitely had an effect on the Violets’ tenured players as well. “More impressive than Nick’s excellent skill and technical ability is his work-rate and attitude on and off the field,” sophomore forward Bryan Walsh said. Senior midfielder Mickey Ingerman echoed Walsh’s sentiments and commended the other rookies on the team. “Nick has really impressed me with his tactical awareness and his ability to hold the ball up,”
Ingerman said. “Nick and the other freshmen have really given this program a lot of hope for the future. The upperclassmen see their potential, and understand that with them, we can be a competitive team this season.” Notaro’s quality, combined with the consistent play of freshmen and upperclassmen alike, has made the Violets a force to be reckoned thus far. Going forward, watch for Notaro and his teammates to continue to improve as they move toward conference play. “We all have our sights on our first UAA game and we know that we can surprise some people this season as the underdogs going into it,” Notaro said. “The key will be to take it game by game, we can compete with anyone out there. “I’d love to experience the NCAA tournament, but for now our focus will be on winning our next game and nothing more,” Notaro added. Email Mike Thompson at sports@nyunews.com.
Women’s soccer wins 4-1 last night By Kyle Luther Contributing Writer
The NYU women’s soccer team went into their game on Sept. 17 with hopes of snapping a two-game losing streak against Ramapo College in a home game at Gaelic Park. The Violets were able to take advantage of the underperforming Roadrunners with a scoring blitz in the first half, leading to a 4-1 victory. The Violets jumped out to an early lead in the 23rd minute when freshman midfielder Stephanie Ho scored on a corner kick by senior forward Cami Crawford. “We’d been practicing pattern plays all week so we really focused on transitioning what we learned into the game,” Ho said. “It was great to see those attacking plays work so well.” The Violets did not stop there and scored four times in total during the first half. Junior forward Melissa Menta scored her first goal of the season unassisted in the 39th minute, which was followed immediately in the 41st minute by a goal from senior forward Claire Shanahan. The Violets capped off
staff photo by felipe de la hoz
Defender Sharon Lee kicks the ball away from the opponent. the half in the 44th minute after Ramapo’s Brittany Mancini was given a red card in the box, and sophomore midfielder Ashley Cardounel put the penalty kick in the back of the net. “Tonight we were able to solidify the dangerous forward movement to get around Ramapo’s defense,” Shanahan said. “It’s awesome to get the win and see the results of our hard work.” The Violets’ defense performed at a high level and only allowed the
Roadrunners one shot in the entire first half. In contrast, the Violets took over 20 shots in the opening 45 minutes and had a vast majority of the possession. The Violet defense stymied almost every offensive attempt by Ramapo. In the 87th minute, Ramapo’s Autumn Herring tacked one goal for the Roadrunners, but it was too late to make any difference in the Violets’ rout. NYU’s monster first half proved too much for the Roadrunners and the game never looked like a close contest after the 40th minute. The Violets bounced back with authority on Wednesday night and, while they may not have been playing the toughest of opponents, the Violets showed they have the capability to be both offensively explosive and defensively sound. The Violets, currently with a 3-3 record, look to build on last night’s win on Saturday against Bard College and hopefully climb back above .500 on the season. Email Kyle Luther at sports@nyunews.com.
The NYU men’s soccer team added to their incredible season with a 2-0 win over the Hunter College Hawks on Sept. 17. The team, showing no signs of slowing their tenacious win streak, has racked up an incredible 6-0 record over the first three and half weeks of the season. Going into a game against a team whose record is 0-6, it is easy to be overconfident, especially with a perfect record. But, as many of the players on the team might agree, soccer is as much a mental sport as it is a physical one. The team has been able to stay focused and strong thus far, which has manifested itself in the standings. The game started out slowly. The first goal came in the last minute of regulation time in the first half. In the 44th minute, a Hunter player committed a foul outside the box, leaving the end of the half up to an important set piece. Senior midfielder Mickey Ingerman, one of the team’s captains, was given the task of taking the free kick 25 yards out and converted to put the Violets up 1-0 with 45 minutes played.
With 10 minutes to go and a victory nearly sealed, another set piece gave the Violets the goal to clinch the game as freshman defender Zane Van De Put added an insurance goal to the Violets’ tally. It was the first goal of his collegiate career. Wednesday was an all-around victory for the Violets, and it is in no small part due to incredible defensive work, as the Hawks were only able to get away with a single shot on goal. Overall, the Violets outshot the Hawks by a staggering 15-2 statline. “Our defense stayed compact and didn’t let anything pass them,” freshman defender Zach Herman said. “We did a nice job of capitalizing on set pieces, scoring both of our goals off of them.” Continued balance will be key for the Violets going forward if they hope to continue their undefeated stretch. While scoring has come in bunches, it is just as important to remain defensively stout, as Herman emphasized. The team plays again this Saturday at Manhattanville College. Email Nikki Foreman at sports@nyunews.com.