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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2017 | NYUNEWS.COM
NYU Students Travel to D.C. to Join the Women’s March By COCO WANG Deputy News Editor
NYU students ventured far from home on Jan. 20 to join the 500,000 protesters in Washington, D.C. marching in solidarity for women’s rights the next day during the Women’s March on Washington. The Women’s March, which called for women’s, LGBT and civil rights, boasted a diverse crowd holding
signs reading “I’m With Her” and “Not My Pussy.” Many NYU students traveled directly from New York to D.C. to participate in the Women’s March. According to CNN, police arrested 217 protestors at the inauguration protests in D.C. on Jan. 20; however, no NYU students were arrested or injured. No one was arrested during the Women’s March the next day. Silver School of Social Work fresh-
PHOTO BY MARITA VLACHOU
Protesters marching in Washington as part of the Women's March on Washington.
man Kaela Vecchia-Zeitz went to both the inaugural protest and the Women’s March with two other NYU students. Vecchia-Zeitz said that unlike the protests on Inauguration Day, the Women’s March went peacefully. People walked in an orderly fashion and only a few conflicts occurred. “Today has been incredibly hopeful,” Vecchia-Zeitz said. “We walked down Constitution Ave, starting at the Washington Monument all the way to Lincoln Memorial. There [were] hundreds of thousands of people marching through the streets chanting and singing. There was a bit of an argument between a protester and an anti-abortion picketer, but other than that I haven't seen or heard of anything.” CAS freshman Nicol Herrera said that the comparative turmoil on the first day of protests could likely be explained by the mixed crowd of Trump supporters and aggravated protesters. She said that the attitude of security also added to the tension. “The security was really intense,” Herrera said. “There were snipers on
CRIME LOG By JEMIMA MCEVOY News Editor The NYU Department of Public Safety received 25 reports of larceny, three reports of controlled substance, four reports of harassment, one report of trespass, three reports of rape, one report of forcible fondling, one report of property lost, one report of simple assault, two reports of burglary, two reports of criminal mischief and one report of robbery between Dec. 5 and Jan. 19.
Larceny
On Dec. 7 at 12:30 p.m. a student reported that his backpack, with a laptop computer inside, was missing from a classroom in the Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life. Police notification was declined. On Dec. 7 at 4:35 p.m. a student reported that her bicycle was missing from where it had been locked on a street sign on West Third Street. Police notification was declined. On Dec. 8 at 10 a.m. a student reported that his bicycle, which had been left on a bike rack in front of 25 W. Fourth St., was missing. Police notification was declined. On Dec. 8 at 5:35 p.m. a professor reported that her laptop was missing from her office in Tisch Hall. A police report was filed. On Dec. 12 at 6:05 p.m. a student reported that her laptop was missing from a bathroom countertop where she left it in 726 Broadway. A police report was filed. On Dec. 13 at 4:39 p.m. an employee in the Dental Center reported that her coat was missing from a laboratory. Police notification was declined. On Dec. 15 at 8:50 p.m. a student on campus reported that his bicycle was missing from where it had been left, locked on a street sign pole on
Mercer Street between West Third and West Fourth Streets. A police report was filed. On Dec. 17 at 4:30 p.m. a student reported that his bicycle, which had been on the Tisch Bike Rack, was missing. A police report was filed. On Dec. 18 at 1:10 a.m. a student reported that his bicycle was missing from where it had been left on the bike rack in Schwartz Plaza. Police notification was declined. On Dec. 20 at 2:15 p.m. a student reported that his Bike Share bicycle, which had been chained to a rack on Eight Street and University Place, had a tire missing. Police notification was declined. On Dec. 21 at 4:42 p.m. a student in Lipton Residence Hall reported that her jacket was missing from where it had been in the basement laundry room. A police report was filed. On Dec. 21 at 6:05 p.m. a student reported that her coat that had been left in a study area on the fifth floor of Bobst Library was missing. A police report was filed. On Dec. 22 at 11:25 a.m. a student in Bobst Library reported that her laptop was missing from a sixth floor study area where it had been left. Police identification was declined. On Jan. 2 at 8 p.m. a student reported that her makeup, camera and gift card were missing from a locker in the gym locker room in Palladium Hall. Police notification was declined. On Jan. 4 at 3 p.m. a resident in Silver Towers reported that a package that was delivered to him was missing. Police notification was declined. On Jan. 9 at 8:35 p.m. a vendor at Skirball Theatre reported
that cash and merchandise were missing from a box in the theater lobby. Police notification was declined. On Jan. 12 at 1 p.m. a student reported that a laptop was missing from an office work space on the fifth floor of the Silver Center. Police notification was declined. On Jan. 12 at 6:05 p.m. a patient who had locked her bicycle to a tree while visiting the Dental Center reported that their bicycle was missing. Police notification was declined. On Jan. 15 at 7:05 p.m. a student at Bobst Library reported that her wallet was missing from her purse after studying. A police report was filed. On Jan. 17 at 12:20 p.m. an employee at 286 Mercer St. reported that his iPad was missing from an office in the basement of the building. On Jan. 17 at 5 p.m. an employee reported that her NYU ID and cell phone were missing from her locker in Weissman Hall. Police notification was declined. On Jan. 18 at 1:30 p.m. a staff member reported that a bag full of cash was missing from a clinic in the Dental Center. On Jan. 19 at 3:57 p.m. a student reported that cash and credit cards were missing from her purse in the lower level of the Academic Resource Center. Police notification was declined.
Controlled Substance
On Dec. 9 at 11:10 p.m. a small amount of marijuana was recovered in Goddard Hall when Public Safety responded to a report of an alleged controlled substance. On Dec. 11 at 1:10 a.m. Public Safety responded to a report of an alleged controlled substance in Third North Residence Hall. A small amount of marijuana was recovered. On Jan. 4 at 5:43 p.m. a small
top of the buildings watching and pointing their guns. And the police and military were not very nice. I think they were mostly not nice to the protesters — one called my friend stupid and was very rude.” GLS freshman Laura Fernanda Ochoa-Rincon and her friend, Gallatin freshman Rebecca Karpen, went to the protest prepared with signs. Ochoa-Rincon said that although she has experienced inequality since she came to the United States as a refugee, the present political climate of the country is so chaotic that it is time to take action. “The idea to come up and protest really came the second CNN announced they predicted the president-elect would be Trump,” Ochoa-Rincon said. “I knew that during such a turbulent time in politics I couldn't afford to just tweet about it — I had to do something. A man-child who bullies his way to the top normalizes his behavior. I want to stop the normalization of this ludicrous behavior.” Ochoa-Rincon also said the ultimate goal of protesting is not to
obstruct Trump’s inauguration, but to call for change in the current U.S. voting system. “I'm not going to be naive and pretend a protest could actually change Trump going into the White House,” Ochoa-Rincon said. “I believe the protests will bring about change because they draw attention to the fact that Trump lost the popular vote by almost 3 million. [That] is a huge amount considering that in a country of about 300 million, only 30 percent of the country goes out and votes. The goal of the protest is to draw attention to that — let our senators and representatives know that their constituents are not happy.” Ochoa-Rincon said the protests in D.C deliver a strong message about the upcoming fight in the following four years. “The protests let people know that this is going to be a hard, uphill battle, but that we will fight through everything that will be thrown at us,” Ochoa-Rincon said. Email Coco Wang at cwang@nyunews.com
Dec. 5 to Jan. 19 amount of marijuana was recovered from Greenwich Residence Hall when Public Safety responded to a report of an alleged controlled substance.
Harassment
On Dec. 11 at 3:59 p.m. Public Safety responded to a report of graffiti written on a white board in Brittany Hall. Police notification was declined. On Dec. 20 at 9:05 p.m. a student reported that she was followed by an unknown male from the street into the dining hall at Lipton Hall. On Dec. 21 at 9:45 a.m. a staff member in the Dental Center reported that she was being harassed by another staff member. Police notification was declined. On Dec. 21 at 2:06 p.m. a student reported that an unknown male in Starbucks on Waverly Place harassed her. Police notification was declined.
Trespass
On Dec. 11 at 7:55 p.m. a report of an unknown male found to be in the entrance to 18-30 E. Eighth St. was responded to by Public Safety. Police were notified.
Rape
On Dec. 17 at 12 p.m a student in Third North Residence Hall reported that another NYU student had sexually assaulted her in a residence in August 2016. On Dec. 21 at 12 p.m. a student in Third North Residence Hall reported that she was sexually assaulted by a non-NYU male in a residence in November 2016. On Dec. 22 at 12 p.m. a student in Coral Towers Residence Hall reported that she was sexually assaulted by an unknown male in a residence in November 2016.
Forcible Fondling
On Dec. 17 at 12 p.m. a student in
Third North Residence Hall reported that she was forcibly fondled by another NYU student in November 2016 in a residence.
Property Lost
On Dec. 20 at 8:30 p.m. a student reported that his laptop was missing from the student lounge in Rubin Residence Hall. A police report was filed.
Simple Assault
On Dec. 21 at 1 a.m., a staff member reported an assault in Rogers Hall between two employees. Both parties declined police notification.
Burglary
On Dec. 29 at 4:40 p.m. a student reported that her suite in Alumni Residence Hall had been burglarized and a few cosmetic items were missing from the bathroom. Police notification was declined. On Jan. 3 at 6:25 a.m. a student in Palladium Residence Hall reported that a window’s glass had been cracked in his residence hall room and his audio speakers were missing. Police notification was declined.
Criminal Mischief
On Jan. 1 at 8:30 a.m. a staff member at Third Avenue North Residence Hall reported that the window of a local business on the ground level of the residence hall was broken. On Jan. 3 at 10:30 a.m. graffiti on the facade of 1-5 Washington Pl. was reported by Public Safety. A police report was filed.
Robbery
On Jan. 10 at 12:50 a.m. a non-NYU male on campus reported that he was robbed by an unknown male on West Third Street between MacDougal and Sullivan Streets with a hammer. A police report was filed. Email Jemima McEvoy at jmevoy@nyunews.com
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2016 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
By PARIS MARTINEAU Abroad Editor
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Q&A: The New NYU Secrets Admin
Popularity of the controversial Facebook page NYU Secrets has risen as NYU students anonymously offer up their embarrassing stories and hilarious anecdotes. The Facebook page — which has garnered over 35 thousand likes in four years — has become well-known among students and faculty. The site allows visitors to anonymously submit secrets to the page’s administrator in the hopes that they will be published. The newest keeper of the Violets’ secrets has stayed out of the limelight since the page returned in Fall 2016. Adopting a similar approach to her predecessor, Aristo, who was outed by NYU Local in August of 2014, the current administrator has opted to go by the moniker “Admin.” Washington Square News sat down with the current admin to discuss her new role and her thoughts on the page. As a condition of the interview, she requested to keep her identity anonymous. Washington Square News: Who are you when you’re not simply the admin of NYU Secrets? NYU Secrets: I’m a junior here at NYU. I started in Liberal Studies and transferred to Gallatin. My concentration is vaguely based around the Journalism track. When I’m not managing the page some of the things I like to do are running, going to new restaurants or just going around the city. I also really love writing; it’s my passion in life. WSN: How did you become the admin of NYU Secrets? Secrets: Back in 2015, when [Aristo] was looking for a new admin, I applied. I forget if I got through one or two rounds, but I ended up
not getting it at first. A few weeks ago, I was at my internship and I was scrolling through Facebook and I was like, “Wow, I really miss this. I mean, there are some secrets that I have that I wish I could anonymously share with the world; I really wish this would come back.” So I added him [Aristo] on Facebook and I sent him a message. Surprisingly, within an hour he friended me back and had messaged me saying “Hey, I remember you. Well, what about this, what if you take over the actual page.” I had a bunch of questions for him, and I totally didn’t think that I was going to start immediately, but after we had been talking for about a half-hour he said “So, do you want to start now?” I was like “Uhhhh,” but the rest is history! WSN: What does NYU Secrets mean to you and what do you think it means to the other members of the NYU Community? Secrets: When I was a freshman — and even before I came to NYU — I would look at the page and see all posts and I felt like it was a really good way of bonding; that it was a really good way of forming a community at a school that doesn’t really have a community. People make fun of [the page], but I know it means a lot to people. I have had many people message me already and say ‘Thank you so much for this page; it really means a lot to me.’ I think people find solace in knowing they’re not alone. It’s also just something that’s fun to do, and I don’t think that most people take it too seriously. It generally does more good than harm in my eyes. WSN: Does anyone in your personal life know that you’re the admin of NYU Secrets?
Secrets: Yeah, basically, the sort of ‘rule’ that I’ve had with telling people is if they were to message the page and say something anonymously that’s really personal that I probably shouldn’t know, would it cause a problem in our friendship? That’s the question I’ve been using to decide whether to tell my friends. WSN: Have you had any close calls when it comes to maintaining your anonymity? Secrets: Oh yes, definitely. I’m a little new at this, so I’m still sort of getting the hang of moderating a page through the Pages App on Facebook. When you go to comment or post something, there’s an option that will be like ‘Comment as this person’ or ‘Comment as NYU Secrets.’ Sometimes I’ll accidentally comment on a post that I meant to comment on personally as NYU Secrets, and vice-versa. Also, sometimes, if I’m in class and I go to Facebook just to see how things are going, it says on the side of your Facebook page “Pages That You Manage,” and so of course on mine it says “NYU Secrets.” And sometimes people sitting behind me in class will see that and I’ve had [to] be like, “I’m so sorry. Please don’t say anything, please!” WSN: There have been various controversies surrounding your decision to publish various ‘secrets’ that contain politically charged rhetoric and/or language that some deem offensive. What approach do you take when it comes to deciding what to publish and what not to? Secrets: That’s been pretty hard on me lately, especially because we’re in such a crazy political climate and there’s been some pretty wild, hateful stuff going on. I was a huge supporter of Bernie Sanders,
VIA FACEBOOK.COM
With over 35 thousand likes, the NYU Secrets page is the place for students to anonymously tell their stories. and then I was a supporter of Hillary Clinton, so a lot of this stuff has been really hard for me to watch. But I know that, as somebody with journalistic experience, I try to make it as balanced as possible, though lately I haven’t been super great at that, just because there’s been a lot of hate towards me after some of the more controversial posts I’ve made. Lately I’ve been more left-leaning, but in the beginning I was posting a lot of conservative-leaning secrets, and that was because I was trying to counteract what I knew was my own bias. I ended up overcompensating a little bit. I even had some of my friends say “Hey, chill with the conservative stuff.” WSN: Could you talk about the effect reading all of NYU’s deep-
est and darkest secrets has had on your view of the student body as a whole? Secrets: When I first started, I thought I was going to be more judgmental. But actually, by my first or second day it had gotten to a point where some of the people who were sending me secrets were people that I knew, and some of these were really big secrets. Yet it didn’t phase me at all. I feel like the page has sort of taught me that you can never truly judge anyone, because you have your own shit too. Everybody has secrets and there’s nothing to be ashamed of, because more often than not you’re not the only person having that experience. Email Paris Martineau at news@nyunews.com
NYU Ranks Fourth for Accepting Lower Income Students By JEMIMA MCEVOY News Editor
A study posted by the New York Times on “how well or how poorly colleges have built an economically diverse student body” revealed that NYU
ranked fourth among other elite colleges enrolling the highest percentage of low- and middleincome students. The statistic that 14.3 percent of the students that NYU accepted in 2016 came from the bottom 40 percent of the income distribu-
INFOGRAPHIC BY JEMIMA MCEVOY
tion evidences that the university is actively working toward achieving economic diversification. The same study ranked NYU eighth on the economic mobility index out of 64 other elite colleges. The index measures the access and outcomes of students, as well as the ability of students to move up two or more income quintiles. NYU Spokesperson Matt Nagel said the university takes great pride in its economically diverse student body and continues to make progress on accessibility through NYU’s affordability initiative. “In the case of this study, which was reported in the NY Times Upshot blog, the underlying data suggests that compared to a number of peer institutions, NYU is doing well in helping students from lower income backgrounds to earn higher incomes,” Nagel said. “The underlying data also suggest that the reason NYU is doing well is because it admits a greater share of students from low-income backgrounds than many of its peers.” Nagel said that it is gratifying to see NYU recognized among
the top schools for the highest percentage of low- and middleincome students after increasing its accessibility to students of all economic backgrounds. “The promise and the premise of an education at NYU is to prepare talented students, whatever their financial status, for a world of meaningful work and personal fulfillment,” Nagel said. “This report shows that our efforts are paying off but we will not let up on broadening the pathways for deserving and needy students.” Gallatin sophomore Mairead McConnell said that she feels Affirmative Action definitely plays a role in the increase in diversity at universities such as NYU. McConnell said that although Affirmative Action has its benefits, the policy can sometimes disadvantage students in higher socioeconomic classes who have better grades than other candidates with more financial challenges. “There are definitely times in which it gives an unfair advantage to people,” McConnell said. “I know some kids who are incredibly smart but for the most part it seems like if you are a mi-
nority and have lower grades you will still get in.” Sunya Reddy is a senior at Cambridge High School in Milton, GA who applied regular decision to NYU. Reddy said that she didn’t consider NYU as an economically appealing option as they only offer a limited number of merit scholarships. “They only do financial aid, which I guess would help increase their more diverse economic background of students,” Reddy said. “I know it wasn’t very economically feasible for me to go to NYU, like spending that amount of money, especially without additional economic support.” Reddy thinks that Affirmative Action has many positive benefits although it doesn’t directly help her. “I don't particularly think that it will help me, but I also totally agree with Affirmative Action and I completely see the necessity for it in today’s situation and in our current economic environment,” Reddy said. Additional reporting by Natasha Roy. Email Jemima McEvoy at jmcevoy@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2017 | NYUNEWS.COM
ARTS By NATASHA ROY News Editor
EDITED BY HAILEY NUTHALS ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Tisch New Theatre Runs Into Drama
After riding the high of their sold-out production of “Hairspray” at Skirball Theatre, the Tisch New Theatre has been prevented from putting on another show until Fall 2017. Many met the news with devastation, as it was a central student-run club that allows for students from any NYU school to participate in shows of high quality — unlike its counterparts that limit actors and crew members to specific schools or programs. CAS senior Emilio Madrid-Kuser, a former Tisch student, said that TNT provided opportunities to both Tisch and non-Tisch students who either could not or did not want to perform in Tisch productions — particularly students who were not thrilled with the quality of Tisch shows. “Out of this drought of high-caliber performance opportunities and the fact that a lot of students could not perform because they were not in a studio at the time … Tisch New Theatre has flourished,” Madrid-Kuser said. Last spring, members of the club committed infractions that resulted in their suspension. According to a letter sent out by Madrid-Kuser to the NYU community, the club used a Gallatin practice room without permission to hold auditions for their production of “Hairspray,” resulting in the club’s probation.
By NATALIE WHALEN Entertainment Editor Too lazy to hike all the way uptown to the Museum of Modern Art for your dose of culture, but still want to check out the latest galleries? Just look around campus to find some unique opportunities to view art by professionals and students alike — no subways required!
Their second infraction involved using a U-Haul truck instead of an NYU-approved transportation service for moving equipment. The club explained their reasoning had been that the U-Haul only cost $40, and the NYU-approved vendor cost $550. Daniel Unitas, TNT President and Tisch junior, said, ”When we are not fully supported like other student groups on campus [in terms of rehearsal space and funding], it has positioned past leadership in situations where they want to save money and cut corners.” The decision to suspend TNT was made by the Tisch Undergraduate Student Council, a body made of six Tisch students, in Fall 2016. None of the members of TUSC were members of TNT. As a result, members of TNT felt they were in the dark during much of the decision-making process. “We didn’t really prepare to be suspended,” Unitas said. “The decision [was] made sort of in secret. It’s not like you talk it out, really. You just sort of present your case, and then they convene. 10 days later we got our result … We were genuinely shocked.” The Tisch administration upheld TUSC’s decision, which John Beckman, NYU spokesperson, defended. “No one is above the rules. So, when Tisch New Theater repeatedly and knowingly violated school rules — in some cases while already on probation for previous infractions — a group of their peers
[the Tisch Undergraduate Student Council] ultimately concluded the right thing to do was to suspend TNT for a year. The University is fully supportive of the students' decision,” Beckman said. Upon hearing the news of the suspension, Madrid-Kuser began a campaign to rally students to take up the issue with various members of the administration, including Robert Cameron, Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs at Tisch and Todd Pettiford, Director of Student Affairs at Tisch. Madrid-Kuser’s campaign was not formed in conjunction with any TNT board members. Madrid-Kuser said that whenever students email Cameron to voice concerns, he sends a copyand-paste response. Unitas said he was surprised when he saw Cameron’s template response because it was different from what he was personally told by Cameron regarding TNT’s suspension. “They [the students] are not writing to him about TUSC’s decision, they’re writing to him about his decision to uphold TUSC. He sort of doesn’t get that,” Unitas said. “He was a lot more supportive and open about it [with me], I guess, rather than putting it on TUSC.” Unitas said that while Cameron said he discussed the issue of TNT’s suspension with Tisch Dean Allyson Green, Green did not recall the conversation when Unitas asked her about it soon after. However, Unitas does
not want TNT itself to spearhead a campaign against the Tisch administration. Several seniors on TNT are upset that they will no longer have a chance to be in a theater production before they graduate. “As a senior, this would've been the last show I would be conducting in Skirball and more sentimentally, at NYU,” Benjamin Weiss, Steinhardt senior, said. Tisch administration responded to TNT’s concerns via an updated statement from Beckman. "While we understand that concerns have been raised, it is important to bear in mind that the decision about TNT's status was made by a student-elected body, the Tisch Undergraduate Student Council, which based its judgment on a thorough review of the club’s actions,” Beckman said. “It’s puzzling to
Indigenous Canadian artist Duane Linklater incorporates the works of both his paternal grandmother Ethel and 12-year-old son Tobias in his current installation at the NYU 80 Washington Square East Galleries. Linklater explores the bonds between himself
and his multi-generational relatives, who identify as a part of Omaskêko Cree from Moose Cree First Nation in Northern Ontario, through his use of architectural structures in contrast with his late grandmother’s fur trappings and his son’s Claymation project. In collaboration with Mercer Union Toronto, the exhibit will remain on view through Feb. 18. 80WSE is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free to the public.
“Performing Fashion: New York City”
PHOTO BY NATALIE WHALEN
Duane Linklater’s work is on display at 80WSE, in the gallery’s “From Our Hands” exhibition.
Exploring performative aspects of individual fashion in relation to New York City, the Project Space at 80WSE features niche objects from distinctive subcultures relating to performative dress. “Performing Fashion: New York City” will remain on view through Feb. 2. There will also be a panel discussion on Jan. 30 hosted by the curators with “performers of fashion from the worlds of art, mu-
Additional reporting by Blair Best. Email Natasha Roy at nroy@nyunews.com.
STAFF PHOTO BY JULIA SALIBA
Skirball will now be quieter with the suspension of the Tisch New Theatre.
View Now: Art Around Campus Duane Linklater “From Our Hands”
suggest that University administrators should now intervene to reverse a decision made by a representative student body in the absence of new, contrary or additional information. However, in an effort to help the club once it’s reinstated, Tisch's drama department chair Ruben Polendo will be serving as TNT's faculty advisor going forward. TNT will also be able to create a production in the fall semester." “It shouldn’t be this hard for students to do theater,” Unitas said. “It was a mistake, and we’re all in school to learn and it’s supposed to be educational. We shouldn’t be crushed for our mistakes.”
sic, burlesque and design” from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. 80WSE is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free to the public.
“Inventing Downtown: Artist-Run Galleries in New York City”
NYU Steinhardt faculty member Melissa Rachleff-Burtt’s curated exhibition, in conjunction with NYU’s Grey Art Gallery, features works from the New York City art scene from 1952 through 1965. This period covers transitions from Abstract Expressionism movement to Pop Art and Minimalism from the likes of Mark di Suvero, Jim Dine, Red Grooms, Allan Kaprow, Alex Katz, Yaoi Kusama, Claes Oldenburg and Yoko Ono. The exhibit will remain on view through April 1. The Grey Art Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday and admission is free with your NYU ID. There is a suggested donation of $3 for non-affiliated guests.
“CAVE(S)” The Broadway Windows at the corner of Broadway and East 10th Street. are currently home to an exhibition by NYU MFA student Jerry J. Adams, whose work “CAVE(S)” focuses on “the expression of memory, fragility of the human experience and possible future spaces that the human mind may inhabit, ultimately questioning the parameters of freewill.” Adams’ work will remain on view 24/7 through Jan. 29.
“VESTIGE(S)”
The Barney Building’s The Commons gallery is also set to debut a new exhibit on Jan. 25, curated by Desiree Mitton and Lisa Orcutt. It will feature the work of NYU student artists Sarah Allwine, Emma Benschop, Bianca Kann, Cooper Lovano, Clara Lu, Jackie Monoson, Christine Sersea, Beverly Terry, Joshua Toor and Ben Wolf, and will remain on view through Feb. 11. Email Natalie Whalen at nwhalen@nyunews.com.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2016 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
ARTS
EDITED BY HAILEY NUTHALS ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM
By LAURA TUCCIARONE Contributing Writer This year’s Sundance Film Festival kicked off on Jan. 19 with a new kind of pressure: Sundance, the largest independent film festival in the United States, is at the tense crossroads of politics and media, causing many spectators to wonder how the independent film industry will cope with the realities of a Trump presidency. Prolific actor Robert Redford is the President and Founder of Sundance Institution, the organization responsible for organizing the film festival. Redford hopes to keep the festival from alienating demographics in the palpably divided current political climate. "We can’t advocate, but we can show,” he recently told the Salt
Politics Play Out at Sundance
Lake City Tribune. “I’ve been very careful over the years to not take a position politically, with the festival or the [filmmakers’] labs.” It’s worth noting, however, that Redford has in the past contradicted himself, offering up praise of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in 2016 before releasing a statement toning down his encouragement to a support of Trump’s career, if not his campaign. Despite his intentions, the festival has become a hotbed of political strife. On Jan 21., comedian and actress Chelsea Handler led a Women's March down Main Street of Park City, Utah where the festival was being held. Handler was a vocal supporter of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, and Handler even became emotional
on the post-election episode of her talk show "Chelsea." In a statement on the event’s Facebook page, Handler contrasted Redford's comments, saying, “Sundance has always been a platform for change, not only for filmmakers and filmmaking but also for big ideas for the future,” going on to say, “if there’s anything I learned in the last year, it’s that we need to be louder and stronger than ever about what we believe in, so I joined some incredible women from around the country to bring our voices together in the streets of Park City.” This past year was replete with critiques of the film and media industry. Meryl Streep’s Golden Globes speech at the 2017 awards ceremony, which characterized Donald Trump's behavior as bul-
lying and championed the press's duty to deliver the truth, was criticized as being stuck inside the liberal media bubble. While it's not uncommon for artists to use their platforms to spread messages for causes they are passionate about, it has been an especially humbling year for the media. Redford explained that art is an important aspect of society. “Without art, I think society would be in some form of collapse,” he said. He continued telling the Tribune, “It is not only enhancing the story of a society, it critiques society at the same time. I think it’s incredibly valuable, that art enhances society, it draws attention to society, and it critiques society that's going off the rails.” No matter which films are
screened this year, the Sundance Film Festival promises to be a riveting show of art and politics. Email Laura Tucciarone at film@nyunews.com.
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In the midst of political tension, the Sundance Film Festival was more anticipated than ever.
Maggie Rogers Returns With “On and Off” By HAILEY NUTHALS Arts Editor
PHOTO BY HAILEY NUTHALS
Leah Dou played a passionate set at Mercury Lounge on Friday.
No Dou(buts), Just Chimes
By HAILEY NUTHALS Arts Editor
A rain just heavy enough to be annoying and a line wrapped around the block weren’t enough to deter fans from waiting for Leah Dou’s concert at Mercury Lounge last Friday, Jan. 20. The Bejing-born artist and daughter of musicians Dou Wei and Faye Wong, made her first track appearance on her mother’s song “Tong” when she was one year old and her first proper debut as a musician in 2015 in Tokyo. Since then, she’s grown into an irresistibly alluring indie jazz vocalist and performer. She opened for a few shows on Bastille’s most recent UK tour and her show on Friday was sold out and packed to the brim as the crowd buzzed, eagerly waiting for her to perform. The backing band — a guitarist, a bassist, a drummer and a programmer — all dressed in stage blacks, holding their own with funky bass lines and electrifying guitar solos but clearly making room for Dou to shine as her own star. For her part, Dou had an oversized striped sequin jacket that caught every ray of the stage lights and refracted them in endless di-
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rections, a visual metaphor for her energy. She admitted to being nervous, but it hardly seemed to hold her back. Her effortless crooning alto wasn’t even that much louder than her band, but her vocals still took center stage and were clearly audible on each part. Without a high range and a good sound balance, it’s hard for even soprano voices to make themselves distinct among the din at small club venues like Mercury — but Dou didn’t sweat. Her runs wove in and out of transitions, her lyrics were clever and enunciated and the crowd sang along to all but the unreleased songs from her upcoming album. Even with her gentle admonishment, phones were up the whole time and taking Snapchats captioned with hearts, exclamation marks and sparkles. Dou’s live sound is distinctly jazzier than the music videos she’s released thus far, but they each hold their own. Her videos and recordings feel lighter, brighter and chipper. The performance, however, brought out the blues and the chromaticism that are envied by many and pulled off only by the smoothest of smooth. Even though in between songs she was nearly
bashful, she was still collected in the way that parents are with a gift they know their children will love. Her two crowd favorites, “My Days” and “Chimes,” brought screams of adoration from the crowd, though they were only slightly louder than those for her new songs. Dou could do no wrong, either feeding her fans’ insatiable curiosity about her new project or feeding their craving to hear their favorites and sing along with their fullest hearts. The whole set had an unrelenting air of passion unmitigated by occasionally blinding lights and a lack of elbow room. The performance was special not because Dou pulled it off without a hitch — she did — but for a venue that typically hosts rock bands and locals, Dou pulled in a crowd that made security officials uncomfortable and merch sales skyrocket. It’s a testament to her talent, her fans’ passion and the fact that there’s not only an interest in women and people of color participating in the established New York music scene, but a demand for it. Email Hailey Nuthals at hnuthals@nyunews.com.
If you’ve somehow missed the buzz around Pharrell’s protege, former NYU Clive Davis Institute student, current rising star Maggie Rogers, now’s the perfect time to catch up on what she’s been up to lately. Most recently, Rogers dropped her new single “On and Off” on Jan. 20, the third from her upcoming debut EP “Now That The Light Is Fading.” Still, her 2016 boasted a mountain of activity leading up to the single drop. A viral video of Rogers’ performance during a Clive Davis class, where her song brought pop star Pharrell Williams to tears, blew her career through the roof. Since then, her singles “Alaska” and “Dog Years” have been played nearly 30 million times on Spotify. The music video for “Alaska” has 2 million views on YouTube, and within two days of being dropped, her single has already been played over 80,000 times on YouTube alone. She made the laudable Billboard year-end best-of list of musicians, not to mention landing spots on a host of other year-end lists as well. Now, headed into the last few weeks before her EP release on
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Feb. 17, Rogers once again returns to the scene with a song that tends to defy easily-applied labels like indie, pop, rock or synth. Her voice dances around the synth like synth music tends towards, and the drum beats are undeniably poppy, but between the cool, introspective lyrics, just-so timed twinkling keyboard and sudden bass lines, pinning her down is a challenge. “On and Off” starts with an insistent bass / drum beat, and Rogers’ clear voice grabs listeners by the lapel and brings them into the song without a moment’s hesitation. The chorus begs “take me to the place where you always go / when sleeping all day takes you low, so low.” It’s an unapologetic plea for connection, both for Rogers and the addressee. The sort of desperate connection felt only when you’re as low as you can get and that sudden text from a friend or Snapchat from a significant other brightens your day beyond reason dances around the lyrics, just evading Rogers and her listeners. Still, it seems like the song is just what she and her fans looking for — but leaving off in the middle of a line, without a root chord cadence to give the song any conclusion, keeps it just out of reach. The track is a marvelously crafted piece, just as her others have been, and it’s clear that her EP will make as strong an artistic statement as could be made about life by a college-aged women in 2017. Find “On and Off” on Spotify, SoundCloud and YouTube. Email Hailey Nuthals at hnuthals@nyunews.com.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2017 | NYUNEWS.COM
FEATURES
EDITED BY TAYLOR ROGERS FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM
Women, allies take to the streets
By TAYLOR NICOLE ROGERS Features Editor
This weekend, hundreds of thousands of women marched on Washington and in other cities both great and small across our nation. As to be expected, hundreds of NYU community members participated. Here are a few of their stories.
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I'm fascinated with electoral politics, and this new wave of populism that is sweeping Europe and the U.S. became very interesting to me. So after the March went on Facebook, I just reached out to the organizers and said, 'I'm just as angry and shocked as you are, what can I do to help?' We started talking and figured out where the March’s needs met up with my abilities and went from there. That has been a pretty powerful experience. It just immediately hit me in the soul. I come from an immigrant background. My parents came to Canada and then to the U.S. as refugees from Poland, which was under communist control at the time. This election made me angry because my parents did not come to the United States to put up with this, and I'm not going to put up with it either. Ultimately my goal was to make this a hope-inducing experience for people.” NYU Alumna Veronica Glab Women's March on NYC Post-March Activity Organizer
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A woman protests as part of the Women’s March on NYC.
Growing up, I was always at odds with everyone else politically. That’s the case everytime I go home now. For me, being a part of this March bolstered my confidence in my own political beliefs and made me feel like I was a part of something that was bigger. I was by myself and ended up talking to a lot of people. There was no arguing about politics. Everyone was just going towards the same goal — women’s rights are human rights. This is stuff that people in New York are usually exposed to, being from the South it was strange to me, but a really great experience overall.” CAS sophomore Olivia Limone Marched on NYC
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For me, it was less important to be there as a woman than to be there for LGBTQ people, students of color, [lower] income people and Black Lives Matter. As someone from Texas, I know that our community at NYU is very knowledgable about these issues, but I think it would be good to allow these issues and this March to politicize us, and to learn about different things, with discussions around issues that aren’t as clearly related to women’s rights, like police brutality and how the prison system affects women. It’s an interesting moment in history and I think for a lot of people at NYU, it is cathartic to see so many of their peers standing up for their rights and marching for people who can’t march for themselves.” CAS sophomore Amanda Lawson Marched on Washington
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I think it’s important that we don’t [become] complacent with laws that violate the rights of so many groups. When we come together in large groups, it sends a positive message that there is a majority of the country — women, minority groups, LGBTQ people — that disagree with what the Trump administration is saying and that we are an important group of citizens. The thing that I want people to take away from this event is that we will not normalize the Trump administration even though this is just day two.” CAS freshman Carly Mattox Marched on NYC
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Marching under the Eiffel Tower with new friends amongst thousands of women and men was so powerful. The energy and diversity in the crowd was inspiring and I realized how widespread the effects of this election are. I loved being able to walk alongside people from all over the world and see everyone peacefully come together in support of a common goal. The March gave me hope for the next four years, as we truly have strength in numbers and I know the protests and the willingness to take a stand for what is right will not end here. We are stronger together and I am so proud to stand alongside all of my fellow nasty women, both physically in Paris and in spirit around the world.” CAS sophomore Sophie Gershenwald Marched on Paris
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2016 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
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FEATURES
EDITED BY TAYLOR ROGERS FEATURES@NYUNEWS.COM
Feel the Bern at Balenciaga
By SOPHIE SHAW Beauty and Style Editor
Balenciaga’s Fall 2017 menswear collection channelled two American icons: Senator Bernie Sanders and the fictional Michael Scott from The Office. While the collection focused on corporate-wear with broad-shouldered power suits and double-breasted duster coats, there were also campaign trail comfort clothes like pullover hoodies and windbreakers in red, white and blue. Although the corporate and political motifs that dominated the collection were shown in Paris last week, they may speak more to American values. Designer Demna Gvasalia payed homage to the creator of the fashion house, Cristobal Balenciaga, through expert tailoring. Slim fit, low rise trousers styled with sloped-shoulder blazers sans shirts gave modern proportions to the traditional suit. Grays, browns and blacks kept the collection within office dress code. While Michael Scott may not have been an inspiration for the collection, the central focus on office attire can’t help but nod in his direction. He wore a long duster with sneakers and a suit before it walked down Balenciaga’s runway. Gvasalia not only displayed the corporate style through silhouettes and textiles, but also took a more literal approach in branding the Kering logo, Balenciaga’s parent company, on overcoats and sweatshirts. The Balenciaga logo was also redesigned to mirror that of Senator Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign — instead of the word Bernie, Balenciaga appears above white and red curved lines with a smaller 2017 below. Gvasalia perhaps has an a habit of taking familiar logos and making them his own. Just look to his DHL and UPS uniform inspired collection at Vetements. Inverting the fast-fashion formula of making the luxurious attainable, Gvasalia has made the common into an expensive commodity. It’s familiar, yet elevated — like what your dad would wear, except for that four-dollar-sign price tag. It may evoke Michael Scott, but it’s made for Donald Trump’s tax bracket. Which brings us back to the political side of the collection. The Bernie inspired Balenciaga logo appeared on sweatshirts,
windbreakers, pins and enlarged on a shawl scarf draped over the last model. The multi-layered looks included variations of a hoodie layered under a plaid button up under a logo-bearing T-shirt paired with khakis and stacked-sole sneakers. They’re ensembles suited for cross country bus rides and grassroots campaigning. It evokes American politics at a time when the whole world is looking closely at the U.S. capitol. This is an extremely relevant statement to make of the political and corporate merging, as President Donald Trump enters the White House. His political brand represents the country now. Fashion reflects the world around it, so Gvasalia’s collection arrived right on time. At the cusp of Trump’s presidency, it shows us that the themes that matter so much right now are going to stick around — at least until next fall, when the collection actually hits the market. Email Sophie Shaw at sshaw@nyunews.com
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The Balenciaga Fall 2017 menswear collection gave off Bernie Sanders and Michael Scott vibes with its strong office wear.
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Allie Rubeck spent her winter break in Abu Dhabi, as part of the CAS Presidential Honors Scholars Program.
Global Breaks at a Global University By FAITH GATES Deputy Features Editor
As school starts up and students see their classmates again, everyone will be asking, “So how was your break?” This month off school is used differently for many NYU students. Students may relax, travel, spend time with their family or take J-term classes. CAS sophomore Allie Rubeck used her break to travel to the NYU Abu Dhabi campus for 10 days through the CAS Presidential Honors Scholars Program. “We traveled around the area, visiting the largest mosque in the world, taking in the beautiful architecture of the city and exploring its extravagant hotels and palaces. We also traveled to the desert oasis of Al Ain and visited Dubai,” Rubeck said. “Not only did we take in the sites, we learned about the history and development of the region and important issues that exist in the UAE today.” Rubeck highly recommends the trip and the program, saying she plans to make many trips to the Middle East now. Her favorite night was spent in the desert, which was something she had never done before. That night while watching the sunset, after a day of sandboarding, riding a camel and an ATV and getting a henna tattoo, she realized how lucky she was to be on her trip. “I’ve never been one to sit back and just relax over a vacation,” Rubeck said. “I’m always itching to do something and get out there and go on an adventure, so I did just that.” From the desert to the snow, CAS junior Erika Smith decided to spend her break
hitting the slopes with her friends in Stratton, VT. While traveling is fun, Smith said being with her family is the best part of her break, especially following the death of her aunt. “Winter break is an important time to spend with family, and I love being with my family. No phones are allowed and we play games and drink champagne,” Smith said. “The break really left me refreshed and motivated for the new semester.” Nursing senior Megan Salvato used her break to prepare for her future. Upon graduating in May, Salvato will be sent to work in a military hospital in Washington D.C. “I just found out where I will be stationed after graduation so I wanted to go check it out and start planning,” Salvato said. “I also worked a lot and had time to save and plan for my future beyond NYU.” However, breaks don’t always go as planned, as CAS sophomore Lourania Oliver discovered. Besides traveling to California with her family and taking a snowboarding trip, Oliver visited her ex and met his family, despite having broken up with him before the trip occurred.. “It was super awkward. His mom never even talked to me, she just looked at me and looked away. His extended family just referred to me as ‘that girl,’” Oliver said. “We’re on good terms and I thought there would be no pressure to impress, but wow, was it awkward.” So whether your break was exciting, awkward or boring, get ready to answer the same question for the next few weeks, “What did you do over break?” Email Faith Gates at fgates@nyunews.com
Unicorn Latte: Worthy of Money or Just Instagram?
By YASMIN GULEC Dining Editor
Every month, a new food takes over our Facebook feeds, and this month it is the Unicorn Latte. Excited by the magical name and a love for anything Instagram-worthy, I decided to find a place in New York where I could get a taste of this magical drink. The End is a cute coffee shop in Brooklyn that exclusively offers the infamous Unicorn Latte. The atmosphere of the shop is as magical as the drink seems to be. Small yet functional, the coffee shop not only sells hot beverages but cold pressed juices, chocolate, and even clothing items. However, everything seems
secondary when it comes to their unicorn latte. This warm juice is made from cold pressed lemon juice, honey, cayenne, steamed coconut milk, maqui berry and blue green algae. The algae gives the drink its blue color and its ability to boost one's energy level without consuming coffee. The Unicorn Latte’s ingredients are considered very healthy. Coconut milk reduces inflammation and helps with digestion, while lemon juice soothes sore muscles and settles the stomach. Whether those health benefits are worth the drink’s $9 price tag, however, is debatable. The fan base of this drink increased very rapidly within the first month of its release, and it became
one of the The End’s most popular drinks. However, despite its popularity, people’s initial reactions to the idea of the drink are not the same as their reactions after they taste it. Many New Yorkers who are coffee fans, myself and Gothamist photographer Scott Heins included, do not like it, because it does not energize as an espresso shot or even a normal latte could. Others think that this is only a scheme to sell a mediocre drink by using the word “unicorn” in it, since it worked before with unicorn hot chocolate and unicorn cupcakes. Whether this was a clever scheme crafted by the Unicorn Latte’s creators to sell more drinks or just a healthy alternative to an energizing drink is a decision
you have to make after tasting the drink for yourself. At first look, the Unicorn Latte is an Instagram user’s dream due to its colorful star sprinkles, glitter and blue color. Although everyone loves brightly colored food, the magic was all gone after a few sips. Despite being called a latte, it tasted more like honey-lemon tea. It is important not to get sucked into the world of food trends and forget to appreciate the simple yet delicious things in life. I would definitely prefer a cup of coffee, which would do a much better job of energizing me for the day. Students on a college budget who aren’t concerned with their Instagram feed should consider recreating it at home —
with or without the algae — to save themselves a few dollars. The Unicorn Latte may be overrated, but the unicorn trend isn’t all bad: unicorn hot chocolate could be the future! Email Yasmin Gulec at ygulec@nyunews.com
PHOTO BY YASMIN GULEC
INSIDE THE INAUGURATION By ELI NACHMANY
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It had been just over three weeks since the election, and my phone was buzzing. It was one of the people I worked with on the campaign, and I knew exactly why he was calling. “Eli,” he said. “I’m working on the Presidential Inaugural Committee, and I need to build out a staff. Are you in?” Of course I was in — this was the call I had been waiting for. Within three days, I was driving down I-95 on my way to Washington, D.C. After doing advance on the campaign, I managed to get a spot on the Public Events team for the Committee. Specifically, I oversaw the development and implementation of a strategic communications plan for the team on the National Mall during then President-elect Donald Trump’s swearing-in. For weeks, I sat in meetings with the U.S. Secret Service, National Park Police, military elements, production companies and other PIC staffers coordinating logistics for this mammoth event. In the months leading up to the election, I bounced from city to city, helping organize massive campaign rallies for Trump the candidate. I usually arrived with three other staffers a couple days before an event and was expected to coordinate everything within 48 hours. Life on the road was a constantly repeating, four-day cycle: travel day, walkthrough day, buildout day, gameday. After setting up over 30 rallies — often with over 10,000 people in attendance — in such short amounts of time and with such a small staff, I figured having two months for the inauguration would be far too much time. I was wrong. The PIC was mostly comprised of campaign staffers and our Republican National Committee counterparts who executed the 2016 RNC in Cleveland, Ohio. I can say confidently that we had an amazing collection of some of the most talented event planners this country has — the task was tall, but our staff was ready. Before actually beginning, I did not quite comprehend just how much goes into an inauguration. To the casual viewer, the ceremony is quite simple: the incoming President gets to the stage, the Chief Justice administers the oath of office and the new President delivers a speech. In truth, there is so much more to January 20 every four years. The inauguration is declared a National Security Special Event, the highest possible security designation for an event. Law enforcement coordinated assignments for hundreds of Transportation Security Administration officers, Homeland Security employees, State Troopers and Secret Service agents. For two months, volunteers were the lifeblood of the inauguration: they sorted through thousands of event planning applicants, innovated food services, navigated the variegated permit regulations on the National Mall and even handled the complex ticketing of Inauguration Day. We needed those full two months to get everything ready. On the day of the event, I was one of just six people in the PIC command post, a trailer near the media village where we ran all our communications. I sat near the front, facing the National Mall, monitoring a radio with 13 different channels. From time to time, we consulted our master map, a law enforcement-sensitive document outlining all security checkpoints in the city. We also had the minute-by-minute timeline for the day, which gave us an idea of every relevant movement on the National Mall. Next to
our command post was the production trailer, where staffers kept tabs on multiple screens to run our jumbotron. From our team, one staffer was assigned to represent PIC in the production trailer; another was assigned to handling the media village; two more were tasked to the Washington Monument grounds in case we had overflow there; two roamed the National Mall and ensured proper flow at security checkpoints; and I ran communications from our command post. After the dozens of meetings with all inauguration stakeholders during my time with PIC, I was prepared to respond to all requests in real time. Doing advance for the President during his campaign made me resourceful, and that was the quality I needed most on Inauguration Day. Our day began at 4 a.m., entering the secure perimeter from 12th Street and Constitution Avenue. From there, we worked with law enforcement to get our staff and volunteers through the gates, allowing them time to set up and prepare for our opening to the general public I stood with another staffer, who was also from the campaign, at the 12th Street and Independence Avenue checkpoint. As soon as I heard over the radio that our boss decided to open up the bag checks and begin admitting people, I looked at my counterpart. “Now,” he said, and our one word exchange led us sprinting across the National Mall to the command post, understanding too well the craziness that was about to ensue. As soon as we opened the checkpoints, hundreds of thousands of supporters descended on the National Mall to watch Mr. Trump become president. As the day progressed, the radio crackled with updates from different zones. Perhaps the most difficult task of the day was getting one of the catering team’s gator utility vehicles from Fourth Street to the Washington Monument and back. Since the vehicle passed through multiple zones, this required communication from various Secret Service leads to a credentialed liaison. They ensured the gator could get through the route. Even when law enforcement at one of the stops would not let the gator through, communication was so efficient, only seconds passed before we got the head Secret Service agent on the phone to authorize the movement. Throughout the day, there were many such situations, where top security personnel were just as — if not more — accessible as the agent was. Being in the middle of this back-and-forth on the radio was exhilarating. All told, the inauguration went well, and the National Mall was properly equipped to accommodate the hordes of Americans who went to witness the peaceful transfer of power. We did our job and played a key part in putting on an unforgettable event. For me, January 20 felt a lot like November 9, which was defined by three major things: a sense of relief, a boatload of sleep and a depressing flatline on the adrenaline meter. It breaks my heart to miss the first 100 days of the administration — I turned down the opportunity to join right away to come back to NYU and finish my last undergraduate semester. I’ll be back in May with a degree in my hand, but I know the next few months will be excruciating as my six-month adrenaline high comes to an abrupt halt. At 20 years old, I had a taste of the sleepless rush of government and politics at the highest level, and it is the most amazing thing I have ever done.
My parents tionaries in t To them, find immigrate to sister and I in grand, symbo to improve th My parents documented media posts. banded toget parks, with k act they did. When I ma the world on my original in activism mea ficult to find been lucky e Americans Bu Empowermen wonderful lea tickets to stu derstanding o Without th history of my Asian Americ Chin. I would
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WOMEN’S MARCH ON WASHINGTON By CAROLYN FAN
s are, despite opposing my desire to protest, revolutheir own right — they simply don’t see it that way. ding ways to leave communist-controlled China and o Canada, later coming to the United States with my n tow, was an act of self-preservation. It wasn’t one olic act of protest and resistance. They took small steps he lives of themselves and their families. s’ actions weren’t covered by the news. They weren’t by high-resolution aerial photos, hashtags or social They didn’t get to feel or see the support of millions, ther on crowded subway platforms and streets and knitted hats and homemade cardboard signs. And yet,
arched with millions of other women and allies across n Saturday, I was thinking of my parents. They were nspiration, far before I learned what Asian American ant or entailed. When you’re Asian American, it’s difheroes and leaders that look like you. In college, I’ve enough to discover organizations like Asian/Pacific/ uilding Relationships to Inspire Diversity, Growth, and nt and the Asian/Pacific/American Institute — whose eaders organized our bus down to DC and gave free udents — that have deepened and broadened my unof what it means to be Asian American. hese spaces, I would still be in the dark about the y own race — the Chinese Exclusion Act, the birth of can activism at UC Berkeley or the murder of Vincent dn’t possess the language to have a dialogue about my
own race without learning about the terms Yellow Peril, Perpetual Foreigner or Model Minority. I wouldn’t have known about radical activists from the Asian diaspora like Grace Lee Boggs or Yuri Kochiyama. A quote from Kochiyama, who lived through Japanese Internment and was famous for her activism that built solidarity among many communities of color, graced my protest sign yesterday. It was important for me to hold up a sign for Asian American women, with words that reflected how I felt about my own journey to politicization. “Consciousness is power,” Kochiyama said. “Tomorrow’s world is yours to build.” It’s easy to become hopeless and exhausted when oppression comes endlessly from all angles. There have been so many instances since Nov. 8 when I couldn’t stand to look at the news any longer. The life-threatening hatred magnified by the Trump campaign and presidency has historical precedence and will certainly linger into the future. But I take comfort in knowing that those fighting for equality and liberation are the same — rooted in history and growing far beyond that. I saw that embodied in a 100-year-old woman in a wheelchair next to me in the crowd, and a young girl, no older than four or five, holding a self-made sign saying “Poopy Trump.” Multiply that by the millions of others who marched around the world and the millions of others who couldn’t make it, and it’s difficult not to feel rejuvenated and galvanized once again. But I’m always fearful that we’ll let this warm feeling trick us into being complacent. I’m scared that we’ll keep saying, “let’s give him a chance,” “it won’t be that bad,” “stay positive” or “we’ll get out of this alive.” Some of us literally won’t. Simply showing up to a march doesn’t wipe away our privileges; it can elevate them. Many of us witnessed this in D.C.
We need to evaluate why there were tensions surrounding intersectionality leading up to the march. Why there were signs at the March that weren’t inclusive of non-cis, non-heterosexual and non-white women. Why marches are not accessible to those who are differently abled, physically and otherwise, or those without the economic freedom to travel or take off of work. Why the majority of white women voted for Trump, while non-white women overwhelmingly did not. There are many other discussions to be had. After all, movements aren’t perfect. The Women’s Suffrage movement was notoriously tainted by racism. We can agree that women are certainly a force to be reckoned with — but we are not just women. We have so many other identities that we cannot separate ourselves from. When I think about the march, I remember the most powerful moment being when the crowd turned around from the rally and took its first step as a group. The march was the first step of many that need to be taken, but we did it together. In coming days, months and years, we’ll take our own distinct steps in our own communities, working on the many different causes that are important to us. These steps won’t garner the same attention as the March, but they are equally as important — if not more. My steps include working on Asian American politicization, health care access and health disparities research. I’m thankful for my friends who take their own steps in other marginalized communities and other causes they are devoted to. And I’m most thankful for the times we get together, when we talk about our goals, frustrations and hesitations and forge understanding and action. It’s far too tiring to take up every cause as our own. Let us march — for different reasons, but always forward — and build tomorrow’s world.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2017 | NYUNEWS.COM
OPINION
EDITED BY THOMAS PRICE OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
POLITICS
Campaign Gear as Abysmal as Actual Election By THOMAS PRICE Opinion Editor After a tumultuous and emotionally taxing election cycle, one often overlooked, yet nearly as abhorrent feature of this ordeal was the absolutely subpar and unacceptable campaign gear that supporters of each candidate supported. College students have always been the driving force behind the shirt and hat sales of elections in the past, however, this year, we were left with a less than ideal selection to choose from. Gone are the days of the simple, yet iconic look of the
Reagan-Bush campaign shirts. No more are the slick designs of the Clinton-Gore ticket from ’92. It is our job as politically active NYU students to be more selective about the campaign gear we choose to wear until our strong message is spoken loud and clear to the candidate we support: make a better shirt for us to wear. It was a bitter election; especially when the two most popular items from our top candidates were nothing more than what looked to be a new age Fedex logo and perhaps the most poorly constructed hat ever to grace the head of a president. There is no head shape
that could ever make such a hat look as if it were well-designed for anything more than cheap production. However, the greatest offenders of campaign gear this cycle were the failed candidates. And by looking at the ideas their marketing offices came up with, it is no wonder that they lost. First off, let’s dispel the fiction that the
Marco Rubio campaign didn’t know what they were doing when making the Marco Polo, they knew exactly what they were doing. Yet despite the dad joke humor, the shirt could possibly be the blandest look of the entire election. However, before we hand off the title for the worst idea for a campaign shirt, we must turn our attention to Jeb Bush. While he was a bit of a milquetoast politician coming out of the gates, could his 200 million dollar war chest invest in no better way to spice him up than this cringe inducing tank top? Bernie Sanders, the obvious winner in terms of campaign gear, still produced
nothing more than an average logo for his fervent base to buy. It is time that we can proudly wear the shirt of the politician we support without quietly wishing for designs of elections since passed. It is time that we stand united. It is time that we say no more to such injustices. It is time that, regardless of your political party, we hold hands and come together to deliver a message. We should not and will not buy any campaign gear unless it is up to the standards we have come to expect. Email Thomas Price at opinion@nyunews.com.
CULTURE
Lift Your Elevator Experience with Simple Conversation
By ANDREW HEYING Deputy Opinion Editor
One lighter issue that does not get significant attention yet affects practically everyone at NYU is elevator etiquette. Due to the urban nature of NYU’s campus, elevators are virtually unavoidable. Most students take elevators multiple times a day, to their dorms and to their classes. Everyone could take advantage of this time to meet new people, but instead it seems as though there is an unwritten rule that talking in elevators is forbidden. Everyone has been there: someone gets on the elevator, they look at the other people
onboard and they immediately look away and avoid communication. For no apparent reason, simply saying hello every once in while seems impossible, making the short elevator ride extremely awkward and seemingly endless. Of course not everyone wants to talk all the time, especially on those 8 a.m. elevator rides to class. However, constantly avoiding eye contact in the elevator does not help anyone. This university is filled with extremely outgoing people, so there is no reason why an elevator filled with 20 people should be dead silent. Many students have no problem making conversation on the street or in class, but elevators seem
to silence almost everyone. This phenomenon is quite unfortunate considering elevators are an excellent gateway to new experiences and connections. People are not that different; everyone on the elevator is thinking, “Wow, this is awkward.” Instead of standing silently, people could make conversation and meet their next best friend or their future
spouse. It has happened before! Simply saying hi and making small talk will not hurt anyone. Instead, it would make all NYU students’ lives less awkward. In addition, small talk could even lead to a job opportunity. In New York City it is always possible to be on an elevator with an extremely powerful or significant person, making elevator rides unusual but important potential networking opportunities, hence the term “elevator pitch.” This may seem far-fetched, but one thing is for certain: silence will result in nothing. Imagine a world where everyone got on the elevator, said hello and made occa-
sional small talk. Granted this may not be the most serious issue, but it is something that affects almost all NYU students and something that we all have the power to fix. It is ludicrous to think that many NYU students take the elevator with mostly the same people every single day, but they do not even know each other’s names. Instead of thinking of neighbors as “that guy with the ponytail” or “that girl with the pink hair,” get to know them, and stop acting like basic conversation is the end of the world. Email Andrew Heying at opinion@nyunews.com.
UNIVERSITY LIFE
By EMMA RUDD Deputy Opinion Editor
Spring Welcome Week Falls Short of Fall’s
This week marks the start of the spring semester and the relatively new Spring Welcome Week, which includes a variety of activities beginning on Jan. 23 and runs through the following four weeks. While Fall Welcome Week is an established NYU tradition, Spring Welcome Week was introduced in the spring of 2016 and includes over 200 events, which mirrors its fall counterpart. The plethora of performances, workshops and lectures provides a platform for students to mingle with peers and integrate themselves into the widespread, di-
verse culture of NYU. However, the overabundance and extravagance of these activities raises the question of value when considering their exorbitant costs. The upcoming welcome week boasts an impressive list of marquee events, ranging from “So You Think NYU Can Dance” with judge Karla Garcia from the cast of “Hamilton" on Broadway to a screening of HBO’s “Girls” followed by a Q&A with cast members. In addition to the larger events, NYU provides small-scale attractions like workshops in “Networking 101” and workouts including “Yoga with Brian.” Although the numerous activities create a warm welcome and an exciting
number of unique experiences, the quantity seems too great in light of increasing tuition and fee costs, rising to $71,000 this year. The purpose of the lengthy welcome week is to “kick start the new semester,” but do students need over 200 events, spanning four weeks, to do so? When considering colleges in the surrounding area of New
York, such as Columbia University and The New School, none have spring welcomes as grandiose as NYU’s, but rather smaller events targeted for new and transfer students. By contrast, NYU’s Spring Welcome Week is for all students, instead of being directly targeted to transfers or waitlisted freshmen. While this fact is exciting for most, students who are returning for the spring have already experienced an extremely similar series of events during Fall Welcome Week and are less likely to appreciate the activities that have been repeated. In light of event repetition and small percentages of new and transfer students present during
the spring semester, the excessive quantity of spring welcome activities seems unjustifiable. NYU’s campus is untraditional and more difficult to navigate, making the prospect of a second welcome during the spring engaging for some. Nevertheless, the extravagance and scale of the events is unnecessary. The high-profile marquee events, restaurant discounts and workshops of the spring welcome series are appealing, but when also considering the tremendous costs students are required to pay for them, they appear less necessary and more excessive. Email Emma Rudd at opinion@nyunews.com.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2016 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
OPINION
EDITED BY THOMAS PRICE OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM
UNIVERSITY LIFE
STAFF EDITORIAL
Unpaid Internships Are Not Worth It By CONNOR BORDEN Staff Writer
As the spring semester commences for college students across the nation, many will begin spring internships and apply for summer engagements. This is the time we scour internship sites for meaningful, resume-boosting gigs that will keep us busy and productive. However, many students fall into the trap of spending their valuable time on internships that are absolutely not worth their effort. Before committing to a mediocre internship that does not pay, students should consider the true cost of unpaid internships. Above all else, college students deserve to be paid for their work, especially for those of us living in the city. Housing, food and travel do not come cheap. Unpaid internships, many of which take up more hours than stated in the application, cannot compensate for any of a student’s expenses. A system that abuses the promise of jobs for free work now is unjust. The US Department of Labor has set out standards for companies who hire unpaid in-
terns to ensure the internship is fair. One of these stipulations is the student must be working in an educational setting, like training, during the internship. This means that companies generally must compensate students with academic credit. However, just like any other class, students must pay for their credit hours at astronomical costs. So, not only do students pay for their normal expenses for living, but now pay for their universities and colleges without any kind of income. Labor rights have been integral to American progress, and this continuing fight is carried on in part by unpaid interns. Lawsuits against major corporations for their treatment of interns has seen a major upswing in recent years. Former interns have sued companies such as Fox Search-
light Pictures, CBS, Hearst, Rolling Stone and NBCUniversal on labor violation claims. In a world in which an undergraduate degree is no longer a promise of job security, that unpaid internship can seem vital to helping your resume stick out among all the rest of the college graduates. However, a study published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers states that paid interns are better paid and are more frequently offered full-time positions after graduation. So, before deciding what to do this semester and finalizing summer plans, consider the personal cost. The stress and time commitment for some internships may not be worth it without pay. While there are surely more unpaid than paid opportunities, it may be wiser to add a “paid only” filter to your results on internship databases. If students begin to demand fair compensation for the hard work that they do, perhaps more companies will follow suit and pay up. Email Connor Borden at opinion@nyunews.com.
CULTURE
Safe Spaces Aren't Neutral
By EMILY FONG Interactive Editor
It is indisputable that safe spaces are vital for members of marginalized communities. Far from being the overarching sphere of coddling that conservatives often malign them as, safe spaces provide marginalized people with the full benefits of their humanity. A marginalized person’s sense of self is frustratingly chipped away daily by the insults of living in a society still very much dominated by biased norms, therefore safe spaces provide them a place where they do not need to be hyperaware of how their bodies and identities conflict with social expectations. However, safe spaces are not meant to be entirely depoliticized. And they are certainly not meant to be co-opted by those who have privileges in order to block out political discussion. With the growing acceptance of safe spaces among leftists, there needs to be an understanding about whom safe spaces are primarily for. Some liberals construe safe spaces as a place devoid of all political activity. Whether that is true is up to members of the community that the
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space is actually meant for. There is a strong historical precedent for political organizing and activism in radical community spaces, like the legendary Southern black churches during the Civil Rights era. Any gathering of oppressed people, for whom an entire existence is framed by politics, lends itself to political discussion of some degree. This is why declarations of intersectional neutrality from gatherings like the Women’s March are frustrating for people with less privileges than the organizers of the March, who were noticeably white at the beginning. Leaders of the Women’s March said they would not discuss race to keep the peace, but closing that conversation was emblematic of a larger problem in society: less marginalized people dictating the rules of engagement for more marginalized people. This itself is a form
of repression. Credit where credit is due, the leaders of the March realized their mistake and incorporated a more diverse message while bringing more diverse feminists to help organize and lead the movement. But this mindset — one that considers intersectionality an extraneous, complicated add-on to liberal politics — is outdated and not constructive in 2017. On campuses, it seems that marginalized people have done a good job of delineating where the line stands for those with privilege. Yet it is important for marginalized people to know how their struggles are often reprioritized, not just among their oppressors but among their allies as well. Building an inclusive movement — one that does not shy away from discussions of race and class, challenges notions of gender and embraces nontraditional sexuality — is important to creating a future that is open to everyone. Otherwise, all this energy will simply be dedicated to replicating the oppressive structures of the present, just reassigned and imposed on slightly different bodies.
Trump’s Troubling Tone
President Donald Trump’s Inauguration on Jan. 20th led to a large and polarizing reaction from the political community. His speech was subject to much of the scrutiny, as its tone was oftentimes less optimistic and more divisive than one would expect from a recently sworn in president. His speech read more like one heard at his political rallies during the campaign than a unifying speech looking to move forward from the bitter election cycle and onward into his presidency. Especially after his more positive victory speech on Election Night, it felt like a step backward rather than one towards bringing the country together. Trump assured his audience several times that, from now on, America belonged to the people. The nationalistic connotations of “America First” are disguised by his implicit intentions of prioritizing only a very small fraction of the American people. He does not mean the America that is made great by immigrants. He does not mean the America filled with strong women, nor the America where diversity is encouraged. Trump’s America, like so many of his supporters, is divisive, exclusive, fearful and misinformed. He did not vow to make all americans safe, wealthy and great — he only gave that guarantee to Americans who voted for him. Instead of appealing to the Democratic Party to work on bipartisanship, Trump blamed all the problems in our country on the previous administration. Addressing the establishment as a whole, Trump’s only mention of the opposing party was, “What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people.” Many students at NYU do not identify with Trump’s rhetoric and looked to this speech as a way of connecting them to his new government, but by failing to address their concerns Trump was unable to bridge this disconnect. To his credit, while President Trump's rhetoric emphasized the importance of people working together, it was merely a lukewarm attempt at unifying the country. In actuality, he failed to bring them remotely closer by refusing to acknowledge the views of his opposition. His divisive language separated the country even more. In President Trump’s victory speech, he promised to be a president for all Americans. Unfortunately, the President’s language sounded almost identical to speeches given at his infamous campaign rallies. Hopefully, President Trump can start to focus on the promise made in his victory speech and try to find common ground with the 256 million Americans who did not vote for him. If this happens, all Americans — Trump supporters, Clinton supporters and independents — can start to find some much needed unity.
Email the WSN Editorial Board at opinion@nyunews.com. EDITORIAL BOARD: Thomas Price (Chair), Emma Rudd (Co-chair), Andrew Heying (Co-chair)
Email Emily Fong at opinion@nyunews.com.
STAFF PHOTO BY SAM BEARZI
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.
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WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS | MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2017 | NYUNEWS.COM
SPORTS
EDITED BY RACHEL RUECKER SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
NYU Athletics Can Learn From Trump By MIGUEL DE LAVEAGA Contributing Writer
VIA YOUTUBE.OM
When 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem, he started a controversial discussion on the intersection of politics and sports.
Politics Belong In Sports
By SIERRA JACKSON Co-Managing Editor
Last year, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick made headlines when he knelt during the customary performance of the U.S. national anthem before a game. Kaepernick claimed that he did so to protest the mistreatment of black people at the hands of the police and the government. The football player’s act sparked a national debate over whether sports and politics should intersect. As it has become more apparent that the professional sports industry is plagued by the same issues of discrimination that characterized Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, political agendas and messages have begun to play a bigger role in U.S. professional sports. In 2016, the U.S. Women’s National Team accused the United States Soccer Federation of paying the female team significantly less than their male counterparts, despite USWNT’s victory in the 2015 FIFA World Cup. In the complaint the team filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the women’s team cited that it received $2 million for its win in 2015 whereas the men’s team received $9 million despite only reaching the 16th round of the 2014 World Cup. The complaint also showed that while the women would receive a $75,000 bonus per player for first place, the men’s team would receive roughly $390,625 per player for winning first place. While this gap is often justified by arguing that the women’s team brings in less revenue than the men’s team, USWNT
clearly has the potential to attract more revenue. The final match of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which reached 23 million viewers, was the most-watched soccer match in U.S. history. Rather than being a question of USWNT’s ability to bring in revenue, it’s instead a question of the public’s desire to support female teams the same way they support male teams. Yet, it is unfair that female players should be discriminated against so blatantly because of the public’s disinterest. With such damning evidence, it would be impossible to separate the issue of sexism from this aspect of professional sports. The complaint made by USWNT shows how political movements can bleed into popular culture by revealing the prevalence of the desire for gender equality. Homophobia has also had a constant presence throughout the U.S. professional sports industry. A study done by Out of the Fields revealed that 84 percent of gay men and 82 percent of lesbians had heard homophobic slurs used in locker rooms. Although some argue that people do not always uses these slurs with homophobic intent in mind, derogatory comments make LGBTQ athletes more unwilling and afraid to come out to their teammates. The only way to address these incidents of discrimination is to point it out, and as Kaepernick showed with his protest, social and political movements have been very effective at starting discussions that lead to change. In 2015, the Cover the Athlete campaign sought to demonstrate the ridiculous ways that
female athletes are treated by creating a video that parodied how male athletes would respond if asked the questions female athletes often hear. During the 2016 Summer Olympics, several publications and commentators were accused of covering female athletes in a sexist manner because they focused on the women’s personal lives and appearances instead of their performances. Movements like these have become increasingly prevalent in sports, with many major sports leagues and social movements even working together to point out and punish troubling behavior among athletes. In April 2016, the NHL — pushed by the You Can Play Project, an organization co-founded by the NHL Safety Director to support LGBTQ athletes — suspended Andrew Shaw, the former Chicago Blackhawks forward, after Shaw was heard making homophobic slurs to the referee. This new precedent reflects the growth of the LGBTQ rights movement and its incorporation into all aspects of society, including sports. Political statements made by athletes reflect the growth of social movements that have gained popularity in the U.S. By using their public status and popularity to spread political messages, athletes show the public that the same topics discussed at dinner tables, presidential debates and rallies are relevant to sports as well. Acts of protest are so important because they publicize that change is desired and needed in the sometimes insular sports community. Email Sierra Jackson at sjackson@nyunews.com
While NYU is not known as an athletic school — a reputation that precedes itself both online and on campus — the NYU athletic department still attracts many fans, and the school continues to make a push for its online following, especially on Twitter. Hence, the almost athletic effort NYU invests into social media accounts is akin to the effort required to play a sport. But Twitter’s popularity is increasingly difficult in today’s fake news world, where many people consider what they read online to be dubious. Many sites dedicate themselves to correcting people’s misinformation, but the accessibility of reliable online news is difficult to maintain. Twitter feeds into that problem by reinforcing a strict limit of 140 characters or less per post — also known as a tweet — that centers around quick and easy information. This short form limits users to incomplete thoughts that convey ambiguous or confusing messages. And there is no better example than our newly inaugurated president, Donald Trump, who tweets from his @realDonaldTrump account, as well as select tweets from the @POTUS account, with a following of over 20 million people. Trump sends Twitter blasts multiple times a day, which frequently contain messages that make it easy for both supporters and critics to share, comment and retweet. These messages are then covered by news outlets, which help him reach millions more people. But beneath the business, political and popularity objectives evident in Trump’s tweets, for those seeking a larger following, there are effective social media strategies underlying his strange Twitter habits. Ever since 2011, Trump has posted regularly from his account and has not gone a week without tweeting. His consistency and regularity proves that in the confusion that is Twitter — with more than 300 million users and an even greater avalanche of tweets — you have to set yourself apart by building an audience through regular tweeting. Although this is a simple trick, NYU sports’ Twitter accounts can learn from this. Surveying these various Twitter accounts, those with more
posts also have a larger following. Women’s basketball, men’s hockey and the main athletics account are among the most active, and they consistently remain engaged with a variety of tactics, such as tweeting live updates. These pages have hundreds of followers and garner many retweets and likes, while some of their dormant counterparts have much less engagement and have seen almost no activity within the past year. Another way NYU could grow its following is to strengthen its branding and to keep its content consistent. Similar to his habit of calling many things “sad,” Trump also repeatedly used “great,” lightweight,” and “nasty” on his Twitter feed throughout the election cycle. While he is not the first to use this technique, it is effective in curating shareable and recognizable content. While using him as an example does not mean NYU Twitter accounts should turn towards using controversial language and negative terms to describe people, things and situations, it could create an internal, uniform dictionary of terms. One easy example would be to reference a player consistently as an “MVP” rather than switching from “best player” to “star,” which gives the audience a keyword to find. Assistant Swimming Coach Hank Browning operates an active Twitter account, and he thinks that it presents many outlets to grow a following. “Twitter is an appropriate way of giving and getting instant feedback from both a receiving and giving end,” Browning said. “Instant information is a positive thing, and that includes NYU swimming and Twitter.” By increasing feedback and interaction, NYU sports’ Twitter accounts can strengthen audience engagement by running polls, replying to tweets and hosting giveaways. This instant gratification method will incentivize people to follow the Twitter accounts and promote the teams to students and fans alike. Twitter is an effective way to send messages, grow a following and solidify a brand, so with such a solid tool at hand, NYU Athletics has a great opportunity to reach both old and new fans. Email Miguel de Laveaga at sports@nyunews.com.
VIA TWITTER.COM
The NYU Women's Basketball Twitter account consistently updates about the team, including when they walked for Breast Cancer Awareness.
NYUNEWS.COM | MONDAY, JANUARY 23, 2016 | WASHINGTON SQUARE NEWS
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SPORTS
EDITED BY RACHEL RUECKER SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM
Hockey Kicks Off 2017
By RACHEL RUECKER Senior Editor
After a rousing start to its season, the Violet hockey team was back on the ice, beginning their efforts in Amherst on Saturday against the University of Massachusetts, topping the Minutemen 3-2 before heading to Durham where they defeated the University of New Hampshire Wildcats 3-2 in overtime. Saturday against UMass, NYU was on the kill early but bounced back when junior defenseman Charles Arsenescu opened the Violets’ 2017 scoring midway through the first to put NYU to the advantage. NYU continued to display a dominant first frame through two 4-on-4s, closing the first up 4-on-3 and with a 12-6 advantage in shots.
After failing to capitalize on a two-man advantage, sophomore forward Mason Gallegos notched NYU’s second 1:57 into the period. After heading to the box themselves, they were gifted another power play and earned their third goal on it, from junior forward Michael Conslato. The second continued to be replete with penalties to both teams, with NYU ending the period on the penalty kill and UMass making some moves. The third was a doozy in terms of penalties. After killing the 1:09 they had remaining on their carried over penalty from the second, there were seldom a full 12 on the ice. UMass finally got theirs while Conslato was serving a double minor to put them on the board. They got within one
Athletes Get Abbreviated Break
By MADDIE HOWARD Staff Writer After finals, most students are more than ready to take their month-long vacation as time to finally get a well-deserved dose of rest and relaxation. However, for some of the NYU athletic teams whose seasons continue into the January Term, their time off from school is drastically truncated. Varsity fencing, basketball, wrestling, swimming and diving all must remain in Manhattan for a majority of the time off and continue both training and competing. Freshman nursing student and swimmer Jaime Robinson explains the difficulty of having such a short break time between the holidays and returning to NYU for practice. “I got seven days off for my break but some people had only four depending on when their finals ended,” Robinson said. “It was a little sad that I didn't have more time with my family but I was excited to get back to New York and be with the team.” Robinson has aided the group in their undefeated season record. The team is currently ranked sixth in the country according to the latest NCAA release. The athletes also have a very demanding schedule given the fact that coaches do not need to schedule practices around students’ classes. Swimming and diving uses the extra period for a training trip in warmer weather. “We had doubles almost every other day along with lift and dryland, said Robinson. “We also spent a week training down in Florida, which was a lot of fun.” While the transition may be hard, there are benefits to sticking with the group without the stress of schoolwork, which can greatly impact athletic performance. SPS sophomore and guard for women’s basketball Liv Linebarger,
along with many other athletes, finds that the time off from school gives the team opportunities to bond and focus on their mutual passion for the sport. “It's always a little rough leaving because you feel like you just got there, but we quickly get back into the swing of things,” said Linebarger. “Luckily it's a great group of girls to come back to and we all love the game. During January the city is still buzzing, but without school we just have each other and basketball. All of the extra time is still spent together so we become meshed in every aspect of our lives. The chemistry ends up carrying over to the court.” Linebarger has earned time in every game this season and has helped the team to their ranking as second in the east region. She and the rest of the team put the extra practice to use when they faced off against UChicago this weekend. Ultimately, all year long these students not only have school to worry about, but also pushing themselves to their maximum potential in their respective sports. While the commitment may be taxing, they find their reward both in competition victories and in the relationships they build with their teammates. Email Maddie Howard at sports@nyunews.com.
with three minutes to spare and desperately tried to earn the tying goal, but the Violets pulled through for their first win of 2017. In Sunday’s afternoon match against UNH, the Violets started strong with a power play opportunity and though they didn’t manage to score on the man advantage, they did soon after. The first period ended with the teams at four men apiece and NYU with a massive 15-6 lead in shots. After a scrambly second, which included the successful kill of a 4-on3, NYU found themselves down 2-1, their first time trailing in 2017. All hope was not lost. 6:14 into the third, Clutch-Kid Conslato tied things at two. At the final buzzer things remained undecided and so the game headed to
NYU's Women's Basketball team was one of many to stay in Manhattan during winter break to practice.
overtime. Sophomore forward Keaton Baum was the overtime hero to keep the Violets perfect in their first weekend back. Freshman forward Brandon Ritchey was pleased with the competitiveness the team showed on the road. “Goaltending really stepped up this weekend,” Ritchey said. "I felt that this was a weekend where we really came together as a team, we
just need to continue to trust the process through our final stretch of home games as we prepare for playoffs.” The Violets will be back home with their raucous fans at the Chelsea Piers Sky Rink this Friday to face off against Central Connecticut State University. Email Rachel Ruecker at rruecker@ nyunews.com.
Sports Update: The Winter Action By DIAMOND NAGA SIU Editor-in-Chief
While Violets went home to various corners of the world, NYU’s varsity athletes shot hoops from all corners of the court, dove to new heights and wrestled out some wins. Here is a roundup of all the winter sports still in session during January.
Men’s Basketball
Head coach Joe Nesci earned his 500th win while leading the NYU men’s basketball team, thanks to a 70-67 win over Brooklyn College. NYU took a couple more losses before 2016 came to an end, like the rest of us. The new year wasn’t great for the Violets either, as they have dropped all their games of 2017 but one, coming on Jan. 13 against Case Western Reserve University. The Violets hope to get back on the upswing against the University of Rochester this Friday, Jan. 27.
Women’s Basketball
Franklin and Marshall College beat NYU 56-55 on Friday, Dec. 30. This was the first loss of a regular season, non-conference game out of 43 chances. NYU would go on to beat Johns Hopkins 75-65 while playing at home on Monday, Jan. 2, beginning 2017 strong. They would go on to deal with a roller coaster of wins and losses throughout January, but have lost their last four straight.
Wrestling
STAFF PHOTO BY OLIVIA LINEBARGER
PHOTO BY BRENDAN GUTENSCHWAGER
After a perfect first weekend of the season, the NYU hockey team will return to the Chelsea Piers Sky Rink on Friday.
NYU’s wrestling team beat the United States Merchant Marine Academy 29-11 and Nassau Community College 28-12 on Saturday, Dec. 10 during the Mariner Duals hosted by USMMA. NYU lost 25-19 to Baldwin Wallace University and beat Wheaton College 21-20 during the first day of the National Wrestling Coaches Association Multi-Divisional National Duals on Thursday, Jan. 5. NYU lost 27-13 to Ferrum College
during the second day of Duals, and while the team lost, freshman Sam Schwartzapfel, senior John Messinger and freshman Kevin Ford each wrestled out three straight wins.
Men’s Fencing
NYU won the 2017 January North American Cup on Jan. 6-9 at The Ohio State University. Seeded second, they placed first out of 12 teams, and sophomore Grant Williams placed ninth after he lost to the eventual champion. At the Philadelphia Invitational on Jan. 21, NYU beat University of North Carolina (16-11), Drew University (19-8), Haverford College (21-6) and New Jersey Institute of Technology (17-10), like the women’s team, losing only to the University of Pennsylvania (1413). Williams swept his sabre for a 12-1 victory. After a solid victory against Wayne State University (24-3), the team lost the remaining two matches against University of Notre Dame (17-10) and St. John’s University (14-13).
Women’s Fencing
During the North American Cup at The Ohio State University, the women’s sabre team placed third. NYU then took five out of six matches at the Philadelphia Invitational, beating Fairleigh Dickinson University (20-7), Drew University (17-10), Sacred Heart University (20-7), Haverford College (22-5), and New Jersey Institute of Technology (23-4). Several fencers flourished at the competition, with the team’s only loss coming at the hands of UPenn (22-5). The team suffered tough losses against the University of Notre Dame (22-5) and St. John's University (14-13) at Columbia University, after a promising 17-10 victory against Wayne State University.
Track and Field
Accra native and Columbia graduate Nadia Eke joined the NYU
track and field team as the new assistant coach on Tuesday, Dec. 13, herself an accomplished athlete. She will mainly work with the team’s jumpers. NYU women’s track and field competed in the Ramapo Season Opener to start their season on Friday, Jan. 13. At the Armory in Manhattan, senior Dana Placentra set a career-best pole vaulting height of 3.25 meters and junior Megan Davis set a personal record in the mile with a time of 5:30:37. On Jan. 21, NYU competed at the SPIRE North Coast Indoor Open hosted by Carnegie Mellon University where the men’s and women’s teams both took fifth place. Next up is the Villanova Invitational this Friday, Jan. 27.
Swimming and Diving
NYU women’s swimming and diving beat Massachusetts Institute of Technology 185-109 and Johns Hopkins University 153-103 during a tri-meet on Friday, Jan. 13. The men were unable to replicate this success. NYU men’s swimming beat Springfield College 174-102 on Saturday, Jan. 14 while competing in the Prides’ home pool. The women did the same, leading 189-108. The women’s swimming and diving team defeated Long Island University, Post 118.5-71.5 on Friday, Jan. 20 while playing away.
Men’s Volleyball
NYU won its first game of the season at home against Benedictine University in five sets: 17-25, 25-15, 26-24, 25-27, 15-11. NYU beat Dominican University 25-17, 25-17, 25-21 on Friday, Jan. 20 during its two-match midwest road trip. NYU then continued their winning streak against Carthage College the following Saturday, putting them at 3-0 this season. Additional reporting by Easton Self. Email Diamond Naga Siu at dsiu@ nyunews.com.
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RACHEL RUECKER
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 or at 212.998.4302.
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