Washington Square News October 22, 2018

2 NEWS

6 ARTS

Protestors Say ‘Hell No’ to the Anti-Trans Memo

The Million Dollar Story of Faraday Okoro

4 CULTURE

9 OPINION

How to Eat With Zero Waste

Our Failed Attempts to Reach the Board of Trustees

VOLUME LI | ISSUE 9

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018

What Did NYU Look Like 25 Years Ago?

Left: Trudy Rudnick, president of Union Lcal 3882, was amoung three people arrested during a union rally on Oct. 4, 1993.

NYU in 1993 wasn’t all that different from NYU today.

By PAMELA JEW and JEMIMA MCEVOY Under the Arch Managing Editor and Editor-in-Chief Twenty-five years ago, it was 1993. Bill Clinton was president of the United States, blockbuster “Jurassic Park” had just been released and most importantly, people still thought patchwork pullovers were acceptable to wear in public.

Pouring through WSN’s archives, we found that history does in fact repeat itself. Protests, unions, politics, tragedies — there are almost eerie similarities between NYU then and NYU now. That’s not to say this university hasn’t changed. It certainly has. But some traditions live on while some problems remain unresolved; and no, the subway wasn’t working then either.

Here is a look at NYU in 1993.

GABRIELLE THORNE | WSN FILE PHOTO

Right: RepublicanLiberal Rudolph W. Giuliani defeated Democratic incumbent David N. Dinkins in a narrow 50-to-48 percent win.

GABRIELLE THORNE | WSN FILE PHOTO

Dining Halls Before the days of Michelle Obama’s healthy-schoollunch program and the Kimmel pasta bar’s green Mediterranean facelift, the university and its food provider, ARA — now known as Aramark — rolled out Burger King and Taco Bell Express stands. The two fast-food chains were the newest additions to the food court located in the basement of the Loeb Student Center, which has since been demolished and replaced with the Kimmel Center for University Life. Students’ main complaints included the university’s prioritization of corporations over student’s health and diets.

Left: Local 3882 union members carried signs on Oct. 4, 1993 protesting what they call discrimination on the part of NYU against their predominantly female- and minority-based workers pool.

CHARLES DHARAPAK | WSN FILE PHOTO

ARTS

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

SPORTS

The Cast of ‘Mid90s’ Talks Jonah Hill’s Directorial Debut

By TAYLOR STOUT Staff Writer Jonah Hill’s directorial debut “Mid90s” opens on a long shot of a hallway. The frame is still and grainy, giving the viewer a moment to adapt to the tight, square-like 4:3 shooting ratio that immediately imbues the f ilm with a classic, vintage feel reminiscent of the 1990s. Then, with no warning, Stevie (Sunny Suljic) flies out of a room and slams into a wall as his brother Ian (Lucas Hedges) rushes

out, tumbles on top of Stevie and starts punching him. The scene is raw, striking, and intrapersonal — all sentiments that def ine this f ilm.

Set in 1990s Los Angeles, the film follows Stevie as he is introduced to the world of skate punks through a group of older boys that he befriends in a skate shop. He becomes almost inseparable from them — they skate together, party together, drink together — despite his mother’s pleaful protests and the painful wounds he incurs while testing the limits of his skills.

Throughout the film, Wu-Tang Clan posters elaborately decorate bedroom walls, a Morrissey song roars to life as boys skate down a Los Angeles street and characters wear T-shirts emblazoned with logos of iconic skate brands. The film is imbued in the iconography of a subculture that took 1990s America by storm. However, its most poignant moments aren’t about skating culture so much as they’re about interpersonal adolescent relationships.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

SAM KLEIN | WSN

Conquering Collegiate Hockey Against All Odds

ON PAGE 10

Washington Square News

2

NEWS

NEWS@NYUNEWS.COM

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018

Edited by ALEX DOMB, KRISTINA HAYHURST and SARAH JACKSON

CAS Alumnus Awarded Genius Grant

By MANSEE KHURANA Staff Writer Long before he received the phone call that would change his life, John Keene was just another graduate student at NYU, spending his days studying in Elmer Holmes Bobst Library and his nights traversing the city. “[NYU] was a place where you couldn’t get by with mediocrity,” Keene told WSN. “You have to learn how to negotiate living in a city, and New York is a particular kind of city. [NYU] was a educational experience on multiple levels.”

Now a professor at Rutgers University, Keene was recently named a 2018 MacArthur Fellow in Fiction and Nonfiction Writing. This fellowship is awarded to around 30 individuals annually. The genius grant, as it is commonly known, is a $625,000 grant for academics who have shown exceptional talent and dedication in their respective fields.

Keene, who studied creative writing at NYU, was awarded the grant for one of his more recent novels, “Counternarratives,” and its exploration of how historical narratives of oppressed minorities shape their contemporary lives. Keene said the novel was inspired in large part

by society’s ignorance of unresolved racial issues at the end of the Obama administration.

“If you put your ear to the ground, you could [see] how unfinished the project of true equality of all people really is,” Keene said. “What I was trying to work through in my book was that we just try to pass over … all these unresolved issues.”

Winning the MacArthur Fellowship will allow Keene to continue exploring these themes in his upcoming novels.

With money from the grant, he can keep writing without many of the funding struggles that he encountered earlier in his career. Keene published his first book, “Annotations,” in 1995, while he was still at NYU. “It’s always been a struggle throughout my career to get funding,” Keene said. “[Publishing my first book] was an exhilarating experience. There always are certain things that are going to sell and be popular, and it’s really easy to be influenced by that. But it is always more difficult if you’re taking a different path or your work doesn’t look like what’s there.”

The achievement is not just exciting for Keene. As a professor in the depart-

ment of African American studies at Rutgers, his university is also buzzing from the good news.

“It’s hard to imagine someone more deserving of this award than [Keene],” Rutgers Chancellor Nancy Cantor said in an email to WSN. “The work he has been doing for years at the intersection of history, race, memory, voice, presence and absence encapsulates some of the most critical issues we are facing today in our nation and in the world — as well as the core of what Rutgers-Newark is all about. We could not be more thrilled that he is being recognized in this way.”

Keene’s accomplishment is also inspiring for students who are part of NYU’s creative writing program today. CAS sophomore Eva Zhang expressed how the prestige of such an award is helping more people recognize the importance of the program.

“I’m glad the Creative Writing Program is gaining exposure,” Zhang said.

“Hopefully, more people can apply to it and participate in it.”

Keene said he is more enthusiastic about the acknowledgement of his work than he is about the funding.

“I hope that [the award] is in recognition for the work I have done and the

COURTESY OF JOHN KEENE

NYU alumnus John Keene recently was awarded a MacArthur Genius Grant in Fiction and Nonfiction Writing.

idea that, in the future, I may continue to do interesting things,” he said. “I hope that’s what all awards are for.”

Keene was shocked when he received the congratulatory phone call.

“I wasn’t expecting it, which probably makes it even more special,” Keene said.

“When they called me, I was surprised. I didn’t even believe that it was real.”

He hopes the grants will not only encourage writers, but that it will also motivate people to become engaged readers — and citizens.

“Read,” Keene said. “It’s absolutely crucial. Without an analytical, literary competent society, our democracy is in danger.”

Email Mansee Khurana at news@nyunews.com.

Protestors Say ‘Hell No’ to the Anti-Trans Memo

By JARED PERAGLIA Deputy News Editor Washington Square Park rang with the voices of over a hundred protestors Sunday evening enraged with what they see as the Trump administration attempting to erase protections for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.

The protest, organized by Lambda Legal and Voices4, was called “Hell No to the Memo,” in response to a New York Times article published Sunday reporting that the Trump administration is planning to overturn multiple Obama-era policies protecting people’s right to identify as a different gender than the one they were given at birth.

Now, the Department of Health and Human Services is seeking to define gender in only two categories: male and female. This motion will push to narrow the definition of gender under Title IX, a civil rights law banning gender discrimination within federally funded programs.

After the article was released, the New York City LGBTQ community responded with anger. Chase Strangio, a lawyer and transgender rights activist, spoke to the urgency of this national crisis at the protest.

“The federal government has been trying to erase us long before The New York Times released that article about the memo,” Strangio said. “The effort to erase us will not be successful.”

The Obama-era policies allowed a person’s assigned gender at birth to later be altered to the individual’s choice. Overall, the policies widened the definition of gender on multiple fronts, including programs surrounding health care and education. The New York Times reported that an estimated 1.4 million Americans who identify as a different gender than the one they were assigned at birth would be federally ignored if these policies were to be overturned.

The Trump administration has long

been criticized for its refusal to accept advice from scientific experts regarding climate change and a multitude of other issues. Multiple speakers from the event challenged the administration’s inconsistency in wanting scientific evidence of gender.

Indya Moore, an actress on FX’s television series Pose, was a main contender in the argument for listening to the science behind this newfound understanding of gender.

“Two weeks ago when talking about climate change, science didn’t matter,” Moore told the crowd. “Why does it matter now?”

Among the crowds Sunday evening were dozens of NYU students. GLS first-year Maddy Trpisovsky told WSN that this motion to narrow gender is not shocking.

“I am not surprised, but it is still upsetting,” Trpisovsky said. “The fact that they’re getting rid of this distinction, and encouraging government agencies to not acknowledge anything besides male and female doesn’t make sense to me.

These people exist.”

Another speaker in the event’s lineup was Tony Winner and Grey’s Anatomy star Sara Ramirez. Ramirez shifted the tone of discussion, encouraging the crowds to recognize the failures and the work that still needs to be done within their movement.

“Transgender and non-binary people of color continue to be assaulted, attacked, murdered and erased without being centered in the mainstream [LGBTQ] movement,” Ramirez said. “That is our failing, and it has emboldened our administration.”

Ramirez left audience members with a harrowing thought.

“If today is a wakeup call, then where have you been?” Ramirez said.

SAM KLEIN | WSN

Over a hundred protesters gathered in Washington Square Park on Saturday in response to reports that the Trump administration is trying to erase protections for transgender and gender non-conforming individuals.

Email Jared Peraglia at jperaglia@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | News

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018

University Urges Students to Vote

By MEGHNA MAHARISHI Deputy News Editor NYU students show up at the polls in smaller numbers than their counterparts nationwide, according to reports from Tufts University. Owing to this, and to the student body’s declining voting rate, the university has made renewed efforts to get its students to the polls ahead of the upcoming November midterm elections.

Part of these increased efforts include early voting registration drives during Welcome Week, shoutouts in NYU’s Reality Show and more publicized registration opportunities at the Kimmel Center for Student Life.

NYU receives voter turnout data from Tufts University’s Institute for Democracy & Higher Education each election year; although this information is not publically available, WSN obtained reports from the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections and the 2014 midterm elections. The institute offers the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement, a program to help United States colleges and universities gauge student registration rates, voter turnout rates and

campus climates towards civic engagement.

In NSLVE reports, the voting rate in the 2014 midterm elections was 9.6 percent at NYU, almost 10 percentage points below the average voting rate for all institutions.

While the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections saw significantly higher voter turnout rates compared to the midterms, NYU’s turnout numbers were still below the average voting rate for all institutions. “[W]e have certainly stepped up our registration efforts this year,” Keogan said in an email to WSN. “The main motivator has been the NSLVE reports from Tufts, where the data indicate NYU’s voter participation is both below the national average for universities and in fact decreasing over time.”

Since the 2014 midterms had low voter turnout, NYU hopes that its increased voting initiatives combined with newfound enthusiasm for political processes will increase voter turnout rates in the 2018 midterms.

“Some of you might even be voting for the first time, which is very exciting,” NYU President Andrew Hamilton said in an email to the NYU community. “And regardless of where you reside on the ideological

ALANA BEYER | WSN

A reminder for students to vote in the midterm written on a whiteboard at the resource center in Weinstein.

spectrum, I think we can all agree that we live amid an extraordinarily fraught time in our nation’s history that calls for more involvement and more civic engagement. And that makes voting a priority.”

Many NYU students feel that the university’s promotion of voting has been successful in raising awareness on the election process.

Gallatin sophomore Piers Clark registered to vote at one of Kimmel’s voter registration drives and found NYU’s initiatives simplified the process, which encouraged him to cast a vote in the upcoming midterms.

“They have [influenced me to vote] because online you need to have a New York driver’s license to vote, but here, the form they gave out overrode that, so I didn’t have to do that,” Clark said.

First-time voter Coby Hilelly, a Tisch first-year, also appreciated NYU’s efforts to encourage voting, but saw the underlying intentions it as too partisan.

“I definitely agree that they should encourage voting, but I think that they should do it in a nonpartisan way,” Hilelly said. “I don’t think I’ve ever been directly told by my teachers who to vote for, but you can tell that they’re taking sides. We all have opinions, but I do think that it would be fair for everyone to encourage voting but not necessarily who to vote for.”

Regardless of the outcomes of the midterm elections, many feel voting is an important civic duty everyone should partake in. First-time voter and Tisch first-year Anna Solasz stressed how important the elections are for NYU students.

“I think it [voting] is important because it is our duty. It behooves our generation to take a stand and make sure that we’re represented in our government,” Solasz said.

Email Meghna Maharishi at mmaharishi@nyunews.com.

NYU Fights for Cybersecurity

By BEN DAVIS Contributing Writer Cybersecurity breaches cost companies and individuals troves of data and millions of dollars each year.

From banks like JPMorgan to social media networks like Facebook and even 144 universities across the country, data breaches come with a heavy cost. This is exacerbated by the shortage of cybersecurity professionals who can help safeguard this data.

NYU has begun administering a citywide effort, Cyber NYC, that intends to help fill this gap in the industry. A part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s New York Works program, the initiative will feature educational training in cybersecurity, a hub designed to help startups enter the market and more.

Nasir Memon, a professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the Tandon School of Engineering and associate dean for Online Learning, will be involved in NYU’s part of the initiative.

“Some of the biggest consumers of cybersecurity in the world are sitting right here in New York City: the large banks, the financial corporations and these days even the media corporations need cybersecurity,” Memon said. “We are the capital of these two industries in the world. The applied learning initiative aims at creating programs that educate a workforce skilled in cybersecurity.”

The Cyber NYC program is supposed to achieve this startup culture in three ways — creating jobs, training workers and helping students innovate. Each of these three aspects of the program will be carried out by the universities and companies working in tandem, but each subsection of the program will rely on one institution heavily taking the lead.

NYU will help lead an initiative in cybersecurity education.

NYU, which will assist with technological innovation in the program, is joined by a list of other schools involved in the initiative, including Columbia University, Cornell University and the City University of New York.

“Working people today need to keep on learning in cybersecurity even after they graduate,” Memon said. “We’re proposing these stackable credentials, whereby you have small modules, say something like one-month courses similar to a one-credit course and there will be a selection of them.

Working professionals or students can come on in and take them one at a time and then string them together to get a certificate and then maybe in the future, string certificates together to get a degree.”

NYU will also offer programs that help undergraduate students. The technology transfer program will help students and faculty commercialize their achievements in the cyber security realm.

NYU may already have students willing to up the offer.

“I don’t feel that I naturally have very good business skills, so I would definitely

VIA NYCEDC.COM PRESS RELEASE

take advantage of this program if I come up with a project they can help with,” said CAS sophomore Rachel Cameron, who is majoring in Computer Science.

The job creation part of Cyber NYC will be carried out mostly by two companies, Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) and SOSA. JVP will operate Hub NYC, a cybersecurity investment hub in a 50,000-square-feet facility in SoHo with the goal of helping industry startups commercialize to become major players in the industry. SOSA will run the new Global Cyber Center, a 15,000-square-feet space in Chelsea.

SOSA CEO Uzi Scheffer said the center will function as a location for experts in the cybersecurity field to meet and discuss innovations in the field as well as work on their own projects.

“The Cyber Center will serve as the meeting place for the cyber security ecosystem and key players — entrepreneurs, investors, academia, corporations and public sector,” Scheffer said.

Email Ben Davis at news@nyunews.com.

3 CRIME LOG

MetroCard Missing From Windowsill

By CRIME BOT Robot Reporter From Oct. 11 to Oct. 18, the NYU Department of Public Safety received 11 reports of controlled substance violations, two reports of criminal mischief, two reports of criminal trespassing, three reports of harassment and eight reports of larceny.

Controlled Substance Violation On Oct. 12 at 11 p.m., a resident assistant reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in Lipton Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Oct. 12 at 11:48 p.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in University Residence Hall.

Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Oct. 13 at 12:17 a.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in UHall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Oct. 13 at 1:04 a.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in UHall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Oct. 13 at 1:09 a.m., an NYU Public Safety officer recovered a small amount of marijuana in Greenwich Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Oct. 13 at 1:14 a.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in UHall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Oct. 13 at 1:21 a.m., an RA reported witnessing underage liquor possession in UHall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Oct. 13 at 10:10 p.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession and Public Safety confiscated a small amount of marijuana in Palladium Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Oct. 14 at 12:15 a.m., an NYU Public Safety officer recovered a small amount of marijuana in Third Avenue North Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Oct. 15 at 11:46 p.m., an NYU Public Safety officer recovered a small amount of marijuana in Lipton Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Oct. 16 at 10:35 p.m., an RA reported witnessing underage alcohol possession in Founders Residence Hall.

Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Criminal Mischief On Oct. 12 at 9:17 a.m., an RA reported witnessing graffiti on walls and bulletin boards in a hallway in Broome Street Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

On Oct. 14 at 9:55 p.m., an RA re-

ported graffiti in a staircase in Seventh Street Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case has been referred to the Office of Community Standards.

Criminal Trespassing On Oct. 17 at 10:34 a.m., a Public Safety officer reported witnessing an unidentified man entering Vanderbilt Hall. The man later left without further incident. Police were notified but no report was written and the case is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 18 at 12:26 a.m., an RA reported witnessing trespassing into the closed classroom area of Goddard Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

Harassment On Oct. 17 at 12:35 p.m., an NYU student reported that she was harassed on the street outside of the College of Nursing. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 18 at 4:22 p.m., an NYU student reported that she was a victim of sexual harassment in 238 Thompson St. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 18 at 11:45 p.m., an NYU student reported that she was a victim of harassment in Carlyle Court Residence Hall. The case is open and under investigation.

Larceny On Oct. 11 at 6:02 p.m., an NYU student reported her phone missing from a sofa in Vanderbilt Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 11 at 4:59 p.m., an NYU staff member reported his bookbag missing from his cubicle in D’Agostino Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 12 at 5:10 p.m., an NYU staff member reported witnessing an attempted larceny at the Leslie eLab in 16 Washington Pl. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 15 at 8:06 p.m., an NYU student reported her MetroCard missing from a windowsill outside Palladium Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 17 at 2:28 p.m., an NYU student reported money missing from her guest’s wallet in Coral Tower Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 18 at 3:17 p.m., an NYU staff member reported paint missing from his work area outside of 5 MetroTech Center. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 18 at 5:35 p.m., an NYU student reported his laptop missing from a desk in Duke House. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

On Oct. 18 at 6:04 p.m., an NYU student reported hangers missing from her closet in Senior House Residence Hall. Police notification was declined and the case is open and under investigation.

Email Crime Bot at news@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

4

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018

CULTURE

CULTURE@NYUNEWS.COM

How to Eat With Zero Waste

By KATIE PUERRING, Multimedia Editor People normally need a couple seconds to process after I tell them that I don’t create any trash. To be fair, I throw things out here and there. Maybe a plastic label off of a bottle, a straw that I forgot to not ask for or a blister pack around a medication. But more often than not, I don’t put a single item into a trash can, or even a recycling bin for that matter. I just don’t need to; I practice zero waste.

Zero waste is an environmental movement, whose ultimate goal is a society where products are not consumed and then immediately thrown out. Instead, day-to-day activities are structured in a way that creating trash is unnecessary, saving countless resources and putting an end to problems such as plastic pollution and landfill overflow.

Despite the “zero” in zero waste, actually creating no trash is impossible. However, with just a few lifestyle changes, the majority of people would find that they could go from taking out the trash every couple of days to maybe once a month. Often times, food is a great place to start because eating is one of the most wasteful activities of our whole day, and we tend to eat a lot.

Edited by NATALIE CHINN

Camp Kicks Out Catholic Imagination in Met Costume Institute

Eating at Home I - Buy your foods in bulk. My favorite place to shop in bulk is the 4th Street Food Co-op. It is close to campus and has amazing prices for the city. Bring your own bags and containers to carry everything home in. I keep a stash of repurposed bags and jars, such as cotton drawstring bags or resealable plastic bags. Free, donated containers can even be found at the back of the store.

Now, fill your containers with whatever foods you would like to purchase. The Co-op has beans, grains, seeds, spices, tea and even seaweed. A full list of the stock is available on its website. My favorites include the maple syrup, dried mango and rolled oats. Once you are ready to purchase, the weight of your containers will be subtracted at checkout; they even have a student discount. Other stores, such as Whole Foods, also have a bulk section, but I’d recommend the Co-op for beginners due to the friendliness and helpfulness of its volunteers.

II - Be mindful of your packaging. Buying in bulk saves me time and money, but if the process sounds daunting, start by paying attention to packaging when you shop at your normal grocery store. Avoid produce that is covered in Saran Wrap, which is nearly impossible to recycle, and opt for loose fruits and vegetables.

Skip the plastic produce bags as well. Just put your fruit loose in your basket or bring a small reusable bag with you. Picking the fresh, uncut fruit as opposed to the plastic packages of precut fruit is also a great way to save plastic — and tastes way better too. Instead of buying a bag of frozen vegetables, just buy the same vegetables fresh, cut them up and freeze them.

For the rest of your shopping, look for concentrates that will save you time and packaging and always pick the paper, glass or metal packaging if there is no other option. Oh, and don’t forget a couple of tote bags to carry it all home.

III - Compost! As much as what food you put into your meals matters, how you dispose of it is important too. Composting can diverge a bunch of waste from the landfill, which is important because food cannot truly degrade in the landfill and instead releases harmful greenhouse gases, like methane. Instead, composting turns it into nutrition-rich soil for local parks. I drop off at the Union Square Greenmarket location.

My three roommates and I create enough compost to fill a large grocery bag every week. The easiest way is to keep the compost bin in the freezer where it won’t smell or leak. Opening the freezer takes the same time and effort as going to the trash, so it’s easy to make it a habit. I dump the frozen compost into a plastic-lined reusable bag but anything that won’t leak, such as a bin, works great. I walk it to the drop off, dump it in and then fold up my bag and go on with my day. Finding a dropoff on your regular walking route also means it takes barely any extra time.

Many people reuse plastic bags, such as produce bags, but the ultimate goal is that you wouldn’t have any of these to use anyway. Plus, you look like a composting pro if you don’t create any trash in the process. A good way to feel out the process would be to start by using a Tupperware or small container and dropping that off. Recycling food containers can also help, but recycling is an imperfect process. While worth the effort, recycling should be considered a last resort when it comes to waste reduction.

Eating Out I - Bring your own containers when taking your food to-go. Most restaurants will let you use them if you simply ask and provide and clean, appropriately-sized container. If a restaurant doesn’t allow that, ask if they have any to-stay wares, such as plates or bowls that aren’t disposable. For example, Sweetgreen won’t allow you to use your own container, but you can ask for a to-stay bowl and transfer your salad into your own container after checkout. Bringing your own drink container and cutlery alone can save an astounding amount of waste. Try just bringing a spoon and fork or chopsticks around in your backpack for a week — the number of times you’ll reach for them over the plastic alternative may surprise you.

II - When eating at a sit-down restaurant, feel free to inform your server that you would like to avoid disposables during your meal. Generally, when I walk into a restaurant, I do a quick scan to see whether people are using plastic or reusables. If you see straws in drinks, ask politely that no straws are given to your table. I tend to let it go if the server forgets, but the server that doesn’t forget definitely earns that extra dollar on their tip. Hopefully if more people request this, it’ll become as commonplace as asking about appetizers.

Opt for tap water over bottled. New York City tap water is famously clean, and it also takes three gallons of water to make one gallon of bottled water. I make sure to bring my own containers for leftovers. Even if you tend to clean your plate, it can be a nice gesture to bring a container in case a friend needs one. No more waiting for the to-go box you asked about 10 minutes ago.

KATIE PEURRUNG | WSN

Top: Groceries purchased at the 4th Streed Food Co-Op. Middle: A simple jar has many uses. Bottom: You can minimize waste by bringing your own bowl for takeout.

Ultimately, in a world where there seems to be a throw-away product for everything we do, just changing a few day-to-day habits can make a huge difference.

Decide on a first step and begin your own zero-waste journey. You’ll be shocked you ever lived any other way.

Email Katie Peurrung at kpeurrung@nyunews.com.

VIA VOGUE.COM

A camp-style runway look from Gucci F/W 2018, where a model carries a replica of her own head.

By JORENE HE Contributing Writer “Camp taste is, above all, a mode of enjoyment, of appreciation — not judgment,” Susan Sontag writes in her 1964 essay, “Notes on Camp.’”

As the Metropolitan Museum of Art draws the curtain on its much celebrated 2018 exhibit, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,” the next exhibit to occupy the red carpet and the costume institute is “Camp: Notes on Fashion.” The essay consists of a detailed 58-point treatise where Sontag describes camp as a sensibility that urges people to always see the world with a question mark.

In art and fashion, camp has embodied an aesthetic of glorious excess.

Andrew Bolton, the Costume Institute curator at the Met, told The New York Times, “Whether it’s pop camp, queer camp, high camp or political camp — Trump is a very camp figure — I think it’s very timely.”

Judith Miller, a professor of French Literature and Culture at NYU agrees that the world is ready for camp.

“We are going through an extreme camp moment, and it felt very relevant to the cultural conversation to look at what is often dismissed as empty frivolity,” Miller said. “[Camp] can be actually a very sophisticated and powerful political tool, especially for marginalized cultures.”

Apparently, fashion has never been as campy as it is now. A quintessential example of camp in fashion is what Alessandro Michele has done at Gucci. He has famously engaged theatricality and visual exaggeration in his shows; handing models extra eyeballs, baby dragons and replicas of their own heads in his 2018 F/W. Naturally, Michele is the perfect person to co-chair the Met’s 2019 gala.

Another co-chair is pop icon and Gucci muse Harry Styles. In both Gucci campaigns that Styles stars in, he is shown in formal evening wear, while holding farm animals. The duo experiments with the art of camp in a North London chip shop and in the Renaissance gardens of the 16th century Italian villa.

“Campy art installations are [self-conscious] making fun of, or self-conscious performativity in which something that in other instances would appear to be serious,” said Miller. “It’s in the realm of the outrageous, it’s in the realm of the hy-

perbolic, it’s in the realm of supersized.”

Other co-hosts of the evening’s festivities include Anna Wintour, editor of Vogue and artistic director of Condé Nast; Serena Williams, tennis superstar; and actress and musician Lady Gaga.

While Williams’ relation to camp remains a mystery, it’s obvious that Lady Gaga has dabbled in camp more than once.

“There is a way in which I think Lady Gaga camps it up,” Miller said, going on to reference Gaga’s infamous meat dress from the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards. “Even though she was trying to say something through that dress, ... it ended up being something that people didn’t take seriously, I think camp sometimes ends up, even if it’s an effort to be taken seriously, not ever feeling very serious.”

Gallatin junior Thalia Clark believes that although camp is timely, it is a step in the wrong direction for the Met as an institution.

“The appreciation of the ostentatious, or the elevation of the mundane [or] average has been expressed in every industry and in every public sphere of the modern world,” she said. “It is no longer acceptable to deem something unacceptable, and therefore the theme of the Met is in that way very appropriate, in that it acknowledges the popular ways of culture.”

The sanctity of the Met to her, lies within its legacy of formality.

“I would say that the Met should be better than that,” she said, with regards to its elite history. “They should be more careful in what they accept and more discerning in what they choose to promote.

Camp is not a look that true fashion favors, in my opinion, or at least not to the extent that I’m sure we will see on the red carpet next year. It is a characteristic of the masses, and fashion, while influenced by the masses, should rise above.”

It was Sontag’s intention for camp to be something larger than a style.

To her, camp is a celebration of otherness, of excess and nothing too wild to be understood.

“Camp is generous,” Sontag writes.

“It wants to enjoy.”

Will the fashion industry indulge itself in camp or will it face a new aesthetic with ambivalence? Look out for the first Monday in May to find out.

Email Jorene He at bstyle@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Culture

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018

5

UNDER CRIME THE LOG ARCH

What Did NYU Look Like 25 Years Ago? Debate over NYU’s food services continues to this today with discussion focusing around Aramark’s controversial tenure, which is slated for review at the end of 2018. Students — much like those in 1993 — want the university to take note of their complaints, whether they be on the quality of the food or the quality of the company that provides it.

cuss the situations and their respective feelings. Many students brought up their own loneliness and criticized the coldness of the school.

Over the past year, three members of the NYU community have also taken their own lives. The most recent involved an 18-year-old first-year who was struck by an oncoming L Train at the First Av-

Tragedy Shakes the University In 1993, two students died, on separate occasions, jumping from their respective dorm windows in Hayden Residence Hall, now known as Lipton Residence Hall. The first, CAS sophomore Marc Kim Yen Johnson, 20, passed away on Sept. 11, after a passerby found him on the sidewalk. Johnson was only in the second week of his sophomore year. Through interviews with WSN, friends painted a picture of a young man on the path to success — working hard in his classes and always a pleasant face on campus. The Monday following Johnson’s death, students, friends, family and faculty gathered in Hayden’s dining hall in his memory.

“I just want all students to know that, if they need anything whatsoever, please, please come to me,” Hayden’s building manager said at the memorial.

The Director of University Counseling Services wrote an op-ed headlined “Don’t overlook the warning signs of suicidal behavior,” in which he asked those contemplating suicide and those surrounding them to be open to asking for help.

Two months later, on Nov. 22, CAS first-year Eiji Kaneko also jumped to his death. An international student from Japan, Kaneko left a note in his room outlining troubles with his grades and family situation. On the day of Kaneko’s death, a mandatory meeting was called between residents, resident assistants and the Hayden managerial staff to dis-

“

NYU has always been incredibly hostile at the negotiating table, and we are trying to send them a message.

1993 UNION STAFF ORGANIZER

”

enue Station. Many students told WSN that they were unhappy with how the university handled his death, deciding not to publicly acknowledge it. Other concerns arose over NYU’s Student Health Center and the availability and effectiveness of its resources. A similar debate followed the two suicides in 1993. Many claimed the center was understaffed, which was remedied with more hires following Johnson’s death.

Students were capped to 12 counseling sessions per academic year, but no more than 20 over their academic career, provided by a university-affiliated counselor before being directed to an outside provider.

Now, the Wellness Exchange bears a similar cap of only 10 sessions per academic school year. With students harboring similar concerns to those of 25

years ago, the aim of providing well-received mental health resources seems to be an ongoing battle for the university.

Faculty Demanded More It felt like people circled Bobst with picket signs and pamphlets almost every week last semester, primarily NYU’s 1,400-person faculty union, demanding better pay and benefits from the university as its contract came up for negotiation. Flash back 25 years and it’s like looking in a mirror. The exact same union, Local 3882, with 100 more members, picketed and protested outside of Bobst with almost identical demands for its new contract.

“NYU has always been incredibly hostile at the negotiating table, and we are trying to send them a message,” said the 1993 union’s staff organizer, mimicking complaints made by union leaders earlier this year.

But however fierce the talks this year became, 1993 was a different ballgame — union members disrupted a health fair in Kimmel and three protestors were arrested during a union march, leading to accusations of sexism and racism against the university and police. Despite differences in intensity, the efforts from then and now were both successful, ratifying favorable contracts with wage and benefit improvements.

City The political battle to watch this semester was between incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo and now defeated underdog Cynthia Nixon. The campaign of the former “Sex and the City” actress sparked debate around campus — many unsure of whether to side with Nixon due to overlapping liberal ideologies or question the place of another celebrity-turned-politician in government. NYU’s identity within New York City has always tied the university’s students to city politics.

In 1993, the center of attention was the

tight face-off between Republican nominee Rudy Giuliani and incumbent Democratic mayor David Dinkins. Giuliani’s narrow win was a watershed moment in New York City politics, as he was the first Republican mayor in 28 years, dividing a left-leaning student population over his more conservative policies.

Then, there’s the subway. There’s always the subway. These past few months have been testy for the MTA, with falling ceilings, flooding stations and the imminent shutdown of the L Train making commutes more frustrating and less predictable by the day. Though not as extreme, 1993 wasn’t exactly a pristine year for the New York City subway system either. Hope came in the form of improvements to the West Fourth Street subway station. But many questioned the effectiveness of these changes, along with the greater $18 billion worth of renovations made by the MTA in the three

years leading up to 1993. These changes included improvements and upkeep for 50 stations, the rebuilding of 712 miles of track and $2 billion spent on new cars. But NYU students noted work still needed to be done.

“Despite these advances, the MTA still could do much to improve the subway,” said one student at the time. If only they could see it today.

This is not to say that the university and the city haven’t progressed since 1993.

After all, we do have air conditioning in most of the dorms now. However, there is something to be said about the ongoing concerns and recurring events at NYU. Students, faculty and administrators are still fighting many of the same fights. In that light, here’s to hoping that 25 years from now, there’s a little less deja vu.

Email Pamela Jew and Jemima McEvoy at underthearch@nyunews.com.

COURTESY OF THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS | WSN FILE PHOTO

Marc Kim Yen Johnson (center) with friends in a photo taken Valentine’s Day 1993.

Bobst, Dissected: Student Stereotypes Based on Every Floor 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 LL1 LL2

I have two kids and a mortgage.

My first born will be named “dissertation”.

Grad student?

More like sad student.

I’m lost and I just want to study...

OMG guys, we NEED to get back to work!

But first, what are your plans for Friday?

The upper floors are overrated anyways.

I don’t know the difference between the floors...

I’ve been waiting so long for my friend I started looking at the portraits of our presidents.

Rock bottom is when your student ID is denied from a vending machine at 2 AM. I’ve forgotten what real sunlight feels like.

SOPHIA DI IORIO | WSN

Bv ANNA DE LA ROSA Contributing Writer With midterm season in full swing, Bobst Library is overflowing with students. Which floor people are racing to, however, can say a lot about what kind of student they are. Let’s take a tour, and maybe you’ll find the perfect floor for you.

First Floor The first floor primarily serves as a place to pass through before arriving at your destination on another level. As for those you see seated on the black seats in the atrium and in the gallery to the right, they are likely one of two things: procrastinators — whipping up a last-minute essay — and loyal friends, waiting patiently to meet their buds for lunch. Also in the gallery, you’ll find students sprawled out on the floor, passed out from exhaustion, too tired to go back to their dorms to sleep.

Lower Levels Taking the stairs below, you’ll find a collection of insanely Vitamin D-deficient dwellers. These people seldom see the light of day, choosing to set up camp in the many study rooms and corners of the lower levels, which are open 24/7.

However, in the common spaces of LL1, you’ll also find the foodies. These students were driven down here because the upper floors explicitly ban food — in theory, anyways. Here, feel free to eat and study (or not) to your heart’s desire. Having been shunned

themselves, the students here are extremely lively and welcoming. Grab some overpriced snacks from the vending machines and you’ll be on your way.

Second and Third Floors Nothing special here. The second floor is closed for renovations, but it’s okay — no one relevant goes there anyway. The people on these floors say they can study anywhere and anytime, but really they’ve just learned to settle with what they’ve got.

Fourth Floor This is a floor of wannabes. These are the people that want to either be on the fifth floor talking with friends or on the sixth or eighth getting their study grind on. It’s not quite one of the popular floors but also isn’t as insignificant as the ones below. While average, the fourth floor has its perks. When you inevitably get forced out of the fifth, sixth or eighth, the fourth is like the nice guy who likes you but was unconsciously friendzoned — dependable, trustworthy and always there for you.

Fifth Floor Ah, the party floor. Don’t go to the fifth floor without your friends unless you want to stick out like a sore thumb. Fifth floor people are the cool kids of Bobst. Catch them blowing smoke next to the “NO VAPING” signs and discussing Friday night plans more than school work. In the minority are study groups scribbling chemistry equations or integrals on huge whiteboards. However, they

eventually turn back to gabbing with their friends, saying things like, “We should get back to work, we have a test worth 30 percent of our grade tomorrow!” knowing fully well that’s not going to happen.

Sixth Floor The sixth floor is the quintessential study room. This is where the poster child of NYU goes to study — someone who is academically driven but knows when to have fun. While defined as silent study, the silence isn’t deafening. This floor is open to both graduate and undergraduate students. Because of this, and its nice view, it’s prized real estate. It’s so sought after that people waiting for you to pack up and go are sitting at your seat before you even zip up your backpack. However, because the room consists of rows of tables — with lots of outlets — you can usually find room to squeeze yourself in.

Seventh Floor What is it with these odd numbered floors? The seventh floor is home to the Avery Fisher Center, where you can check out movies. But besides this resource, the floor is just another option if you don’t care and just need to study, or gave up with the hierarchy of the other levels. We get it, we’ve all been there.

Eighth Floor This is for the most studious among us.

These rooms say they are graduate study only, but you can get away with going in if you embody the persona of a grad student — sweats, messy bun, a cup of coffee, a bullet

journal and a large stack of reading in tow. If you find the courage to snatch a seat, proceed cautiously, as anything above a whisper is seriously frowned upon and immediately shushed. This includes sneezing and coughing, as natural bodily functions are prohibited on this level.

Ninth and 10th Floors These are the veterans of Bobst. The students who sit here have sold their souls to gain the prime study spots. Beware — they are not to be disturbed. Hold your breath, don’t say a word, and try not to look at them.

They can feel your eyes and hear your beating heart — both of which would be considered distractions. These students are more akin to zombies, forgoing sleep and food in favor of the darkest under eye bags and the longest dissertations. While there are Bobst regulars, the people on these floors are inhabitants of the library who only leave when forcefully evicted.

11th and 12th Floors Here, you can find actual adults working in a world separate from the students below.

They even have their own special elevator that takes them only to where they need to go so they can stay as far away from us as possible.

If you do happen to accidentally get on their privileged elevator, just try to get off as soon as possible and be prepared for scoffs and scorns from these higher beings.

Email Anna de la Rosa at culture@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

6

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018

ARTS

ARTS@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by RYAN MIKEL and DANIELLA NICHINSON

The Million Dollar Story of Faraday Okoro

Faraday Okoro winning the $1 million grant at Tribeca Film Festival.

By GURU RAMANATHAN Film & TV Editor Starting high school ushers in all sorts of excitement and anxiety. But imagine looking forward to your first year of high school and then being told by your parents you would be living the first two years of it in Nigeria. It’s hard to imagine, but that was the case for former Tisch grad student Faraday Okoro, whose debut feature film, the semi-autobiographical “Nigerian Prince,” opened in theaters this past Friday.

Okoro is the inaugural winner of the AT&T and Tribeca Film Institute’s “Untold Stories” prize, a $1 million production grant intended to support underrepresented filmmakers in making their first film. He won the award in 2017, but

VIA FACEBOOK.COM

“Nigerian Prince” made its debut at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.

The film, executive produced by Academy Award winner and NYU alumnus Spike Lee, follows first-generation Nigerian-American Eze (Antonio J. Bell) who is forced to go to Nigeria and then teams up with his scammer cousin Pius (Chinaza Uche) to trick unsuspecting foreigners into giving him money for a ticket back to the United States.

During his time living in West Africa, Okoro had limited exposure to media because of frequent power outages.

One day while the power was on, Okoro stumbled upon a movie that transformed his understanding of cinema and flooded his heart with an undying love for the art form.

“The film ‘Road to Perdition’ was

playing and I was just glued,” Okoro said. “I never watched a film as mature as that until then. The power stayed on for 20 minutes and then it turned out. But I was glued on.”

Okoro completed his undergraduate education at Howard University, making short films during his time there. He was first inspired to create “Nigerian Prince” while sitting in a computer lab during his senior year. By that time, he had decided to attend the Tisch School of the Arts for graduate school.

“I think I decided to go to NYU because of its conservatory-style hands-on learning,” Okoro said. “There’s not necessarily many film schools that allow you to learn by doing, but we make a number of films, and by the time you leave the grad program you could probably make four to five short films … There’s a lot of support, we’re all learning together.”

The relationships Okoro forged while at Tisch have certainly benefited him. A producer, the director of photography, the costume designer and production designer on “Nigerian Prince” were all classmates of Okoro’s.

Okoro recalls how he and cinematographer Sheldon Chau would often take the time to simply look at each other in between shots to remind themselves they had each other’s back.

Perhaps the most important relationship Okoro forged at Tisch was with Lee. Okoro elaborated on Lee’s involvement in the project.

“It was great. He offered a lot of attention and support during the development of the project,” Okoro said. “After I got the funding he was off doing his own thing, and after I came back he watched the footage, he gave me ideas for editing.

[It’s] something I’ll always treasure.”

The story of “Nigerian Prince” mirrors some of Okoro’s own experiences — and he deliberately leaned on his past

to help add authenticity to the film.

“Maybe it’s a personal thing but I was not afraid to go as deep as I could,” Okoro said. “The idea of doing a film about scammers in Nigeria [was something I never heard of]. For a Western audience it would have been difficult for characters who speak a different type of English and it was a challenge until I realized I could add some of my experiences in there. It just opened up a lot of possibilities.”

Okoro co-wrote the screenplay with fellow Howard alumnus Andrew Long, but decided to shelf it and instead shoot it for his thesis film.

“Initially it was a $250K budget, and after about two years working on the script I then went into development,” Okoro said.

“

On the last day I sucked it up and applied. I was one of five finalists.

FARADAY OKORO

”

Okoro had initially applied to Tribeca Film Festival’s All Access grant, which gives seven scripted filmmakers and seven documentary filmmakers $10,000 each. However, he was then urged by Tribeca to apply for the “Untold Stories” grant instead.

“I was very hesitant, it seemed too far-fetched,” Okoro recalled. “On the last day I sucked it up and applied. I was one of five finalists. We all pitched

the morning of and during lunch they announced the winners. It was definitely surreal, to know that I would receive funding for it, and more than I had previously anticipated.”

When the film premiered at Tribeca this year, the experience was equally as magical for the writer and director.

“It was definitely beyond belief.

It kind of felt similar to winning the award, it was so much emotion happening at once,” Okoro said.

Okoro is currently developing some potential scripts, but said it was too early to announce anything specific. However, he spoke about where he sees his career going and what types of projects he wants to work on.

“As an artist, when you’re early in your career there is this thing [that] is gonna define me for however many years,” Okoro said. “I do think I bring something particular to each of my projects, but from the outside looking in other people are attune to what that thing is. I would love to do a lot of different types of films. Whether [it’s] a big Hollywood action blockbuster or indie movie set in apartheid South Africa, or Libya, I wanna do all sorts of stuff. Each of these genres allow me to flex different film muscles.”

With “Nigerian Prince,” Okoro has crafted both a crime drama and a coming-of-age tale. But while it seems like he has completed a journey that started years ago at Howard and persisted through his time at Tisch, his connection to the film traces all the way back to that one day watching “Road to Perdition” in Nigeria. With his feature debut he has come full circle as a filmmaker and, in a sense, accomplished his own coming-of-age.

Email Guru Ramanathan at gramanathan@nyunews.com.

The Cast of ‘Mid90s’ Talks Jonah Hill’s Directorial Debut CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Hill’s youth was spent among the skating community of ’90s Los Angeles. Through his own experience, he adds a level of specificity and nuance to each scene that makes the story feel universal. Hill seamlessly alternates tonal shifts, morphing the film into an emotional joyride that closely mimics the twists and turns of real life.

“By the time we started shooting we were all pretty close friends... It felt really natural,” said Suljic in an interview with WSN, alongside costars Olan Prenatt, Ryder McLaughlin and Na-kel Smith.

Smith, who is a professional skateboarder in real life, believes that skateboarding is usually portrayed in an artificial and tacky way, but that “Mid90s” does not fall into this trap.

“I wanted to do everything that I could to make sure it wasn’t corny,” Smith said. “I feel like everybody felt that exact same way. That’s why I think it came out so well.”

Whether or not viewers have experienced the ’90s or skate culture firsthand, there is a part of “Mid90s” they will be able to relate to — whether it be familial dysfunction or the desire to belong. The film does not fuel itself

on nostalgia. Instead, its ’90s atmosphere refelects how its central characters see the world. It sets the stage on which these boys come of age and discover truths about themselves and

“

I feel like these are all universal characters that I can connect to and that a lot of people can connect to.

OLAN PRENATT

”

those around them.

“I feel like these are all universal characters that I can connect to and that a lot of people can connect to,” said Prenatt, who plays Fuckshit, one of the leaders of the group. “My character specifically, it was hard ... it’s my first time acting so I really

had to try hard.”

Despite being newcomers, Prenatt and Smith are effortlessly charming, flowing from scene to scene with magnetic charisma and a fun bravado that make them both standouts of the film.

But Suljic is the real scene stealer.

The film is a coming-of-age tale as much as it is a period piece, and it’s impossible to think about how the film could have worked without Suljic in the most prominent role. Stevie is thrust into mature situations that force him to learn about the complications of friendship, family, sex and skating at an age when most kids are just worried about which cartoons to watch on Saturday mornings. He’s emotionally messy and immature but has an intense curiosity, and Suljic captures this naive ambition beautifully.

“If anything, I want people to walk away from this movie just with a love for their friends and, mainly, just to love your friends and to just be present in everybody’s life,” Smith said.

“Mid90s” is a heartfelt and touching antidote to the seemingly endless tumult of daily life. The f ilm’s last moment is one of its most poignant: a group of friends asleep in a circle. With their eyes closed, all the

RACHEL BUIGAS-LOPEZ | WSN

images of skating, bloody wounds, street f ights, screaming, drinking and smoking that craft their tough exteriors are shed. All they really have is each other. And maybe that is enough — that’s all that really matters.

Email Taylor Stout at film@nyunews.com.

“Mid90s” Oct. 19, 2018 Jonah Hill CAST Sunny Suljic, Lucas Hedges, Gio Galicia, Ma-kel Smith, Olan Prenatt RELEASED DIRECTOR

Washington Square News | Arts

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018

‘Suspiria’ Breathes New Life Into Argento’s Horror Classic

Elena Fokina as Olga in “Suspiria.”

VIA YOUTUBE.COM

By RYAN MIKEL Arts Editor Tremble, tremble, the witches are back with Luca Guadagnino’s reimagining of the technicolor nightmare “Suspiria.” Less of a remake and more of a cover, “Suspiria” is a disgustingly beautiful ode to Dario Argento’s 1979 horror opus and his sinister coven of witches in leotards and tights.

The first thing you’ll notice is an emotionally distraught Patricia (Chloe Grace Moretz) making her escape from the Helena Markos Dance Company. Backdropped against a politically distraught Berlin (see the German Autumn of 1977), the traumatized dancer makes her way to psychoanalyst Dr. Jozef Klemperer, played inconspicuously by the genderbending Tilda Swinton. Patricia claims the directors of the company are plotting against her and will “hollow me out and eat my c-nt on a plate.” And thus, “Supiria” begins.

After introductions are over — we don’t see Patricia again, but I won’t spoil why — the film transitions to a brighter, more hopeful day.

Wide-eyed Suzy Bannion (Dakota Johnson) makes her way from Ohio to vie for a spot in the company. Her audition immediately captivates the faculty in both earthly and supernatural ways, especially headmistress Madam Blanc — also played by Tilda Swinton. The company welcomes Suzy with open arms, and rehearsals ensue as planned until an underlying presence envelops Suzy and a few other unlucky dancers.

The nuanced plot that drives “Suspiria” would take essays to explain, but essentially, the coven is looking for a dancer — or vessel — to carry on the spirit of the company’s founding witch, Helena Markos. As Suzy and Blanc grow closer in and out of the studio, the headmistress comes to find that the American dancer could be the young, healthy body they’ve been searching for.

But do you think Guadagnino was going to let the audience leave his film with such a simple plot? Instead, interspersed between shots of the red-hued rehearsal space and bleak, war-torn Berlin, audiences witness fever dreams of bloody hooks and dismembered bodies, the torture of mischievous dancers and a final act so graphically barbarous, Guadagnino chose to shoot it with a permanent red overlay as to lighten the load of blood and guts that pierces the screen.

Premiering at the 75th Venice International Film Festival earlier this year, “Suspiria” received polarizing notices from critics a la Darren Aronofsky’s “mother!” Some criticized its unfaithful adaptation of the original while others praised its refreshing color palette, score and reinvigoration of the low-budget original. After viewing it myself, I found the new version to be one of the most captivating and deeply effective pieces of cinema in recent years.

The goal of cinema isn’t always to impact you directly in your seat, but rather follow you out of the theater and slowly sink its hooks into your daily life. With “Suspiria,” there is obvious shock value in the film that will satisfy your surface level viewing pleasures, but for those looking deeper, you will leave the theater grappling with a variety of themes.

Despite the violence depicted, “Suspiria” is a feminist film at its core. The nearly all-female cast and the setting of the film explore the collective power of women and the inexorable bond of sisterhood — whether that be saccharine or sentimental. On a smaller scale, it explores the symbiosis between sacrifice and art and the awry costs that can come with losing yourself to your craft.

To fans of Argento’s “Suspiria,” this version is a stark contrast from the original both in style and in plot. All that Guadagnino keeps is character and setting, but he begins completely anew with story. David Kajganich’s screenplay works to explore the foundations of the coven that the original glossed over in favor of style. In doing so, Kajganich explores how an event like this would really happen and how bystanders to the supernatural would naturally respond. Whether it be through dialogue or Guadagnino’s direction, the performances that permeate “Suspiria” are of the highest quality. And for those who’ve seen the “Fifty Shades” trilogy, Dakota Johnson’s performance is quite unsuspected.

In one noteworthy exchange between Swinton and Johnson, the former explains that art can never be cheerful or beautiful. “We must crush the noses of everything beautiful,” Swinton rejoices. If one line of dialogue serves as the thesis for the film, this would be it. “Suspiria” is far from beautiful. It is dark, nasty and unrelentlessly graphic in nature, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. Don’t let these words scare you away. But be warned: this is not a walk in the park, but a bloodsoaked road trip to hell.

Email Ryan Mikel at rmikel@nyunews.com.

7

WNYU Hosts Talk Radio and Resistance

By JESSICA XING Contributing Writer NYU’s own radio station, WNYU, has been an integral part of the New York alternative music scene since the ’80s, hosting live acts as varied and memorable as The Smiths, Nirvana and the Ramones. While alternative music is just as diverse as it was 30 years ago, WNYU continues to champion underrepresented and independent music.

Many of WNYU’s programs start with a specific category or theme they want to explore. All of them, however, are rooted in the basic notion that music is a potent medium for provocative thought and emotion.

Saphe Shamoun, a second-year Near Eastern Studies graduate student, hosts a show called “Unfortunately, it was Paradise,” which explores Arabic music and how music as a whole can be used to tackle political questions.

According to Shamoun, the show’s name was inspired by the poem anthology of the same name “Unfortunately, it was Paradise” by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish. Conceived by a group of him and his friends, “Unfortunately, it was Paradise” started its run by focusing on Arabic music from the 20th century, exploring the music’s relation to the period’s political climate. However, Shamoun chose to expand its reach to the present day.

Shamoun believes music is one of the many tools people can use to make a political statement. With the rise of the Arabic hip-hop scene, Shamoun sees how people use music to highlight issues, such as Israeli occupation of Palestine and the effects of capitalism and communism.

“One way to think about music is it is one system of representation that is reproducing certain ideologies that already exist,” Shamoun said. “Music is a form of resistance. One thing I think music is capable of is that it can challenge the hegemony of a certain genre.”

He brings up the example of Tarab, an aspect of Arabic music that focuses on how music can help achieve ecstasy. Shamoun looks at the way music can trigger an emotional reaction: he brings up nostalgia — a prevalent theme in music from Aleppo, Syria, his original home.

While Shamoun examines music’s political influence, Steinhardt junior Marielle Zogheb focuses on the universality of emotion that pervades all genres. Zogheb, the host of a show called “Dissonance,” started out her show wanting to demonstrate how choral music can appeal to even secular audiences. The name of her show derives from choral’s use of dissonant chords: a group of notes that are known to sound jarring and intrinsically unpleasant to the ear. Zogheb believes these notes represent the parts of choral music she wants to showcase — the parts that aren’t focused so much on harmony as they are on expression.

“At first I didn’t want to play sacred stuff because I didn’t think people would like that,” Zogheb said. “It’s beautiful, and it all has to do with the appreciation of the art — people can appreciate the music even if some can’t exactly relate to the lyrics.”.

WNYU is an effective outlet for challenging norms and systems, as seen through one of its staple shows from the ’80s, “Crucial Chaos.” Hosted by Steinhardt senior Megan Delsey, “Crucial Chaos” has been considered a standard in New York City punk music, as seen by various bands, like Breakdown, Underdog and Token Entry, that rose to prominence after their live acts on WNYU. “Crucial Chaos” is a legacy show, which is what WNYU calls programs that continue through generations, passed down from DJ to DJ. Delsey, who has been hosting the show since her sophomore year, focuses on the radicalism explored in the genre: anti-police, anti-capitalist and anti-homophobia. She noted that punk is a way to express anger against a system that continually rejects differ-

ALANA BEYER | WSN

Eli Edwards, Sports Director for WNYUs broadcasting from WNYU’s soundbooth.

ence. It’s also a way to take a stand and gain confidence in yourself.

“I think when I first started I was really scared of being too hardcore,” Delsey said. “I think that was my own thing being a woman and thinking ‘oh, I need to be dainty and proper and not too out of the box.’ Over time, I definitely [have] gotten over that, and I’ve become less scared to play more radical stuff that I was too scared to do in the beginning.”

For the three of them, WNYU has not only affected how they view their preferred genres but also their understanding of how music can affect the individual.

“College radio is meant to be educational, and I’ve realized that it is more than educational for its listeners — its educational for its creator,” Zogheb said. “You learn so much, and you don’t realize how much you learn until you start the show and you do it.

The diversity of shows on WNYU’s roster depicts how even niche shows, like “Unfortunately, it was Paradise” and “Dissonance,” can resonate with audiences. There is a core philosophy found in all three shows that promotes an essential feature of music: it serves as a platform that strives for insight into the emotional and social responsibilities of the psyche.

Email Jessica Xing at music@nyunews.com.

Backstage at Tisch’s ‘Next to Normal’

By LILY DOLIN Staff Writer When people think of student-run theater productions, their minds may jump to small-scale shows with minimalist set designs. However, for Tisch New Theater’s student-run production of “Next to Normal,” this description couldn’t be further from the truth. Over the past couple of months, the cast and crew of “Next to Normal” have worked tirelessly on every detail of the production, and to create a show with nuance and depth.

The 2008 rock musical deals with difficult issues that many other shows wouldn’t dare to touch, including depression, addiction and suicide. Yet these uncomfortable topics are precisely the reason that the director, Tisch senior Danica Jensen, was drawn to the show.

“For me [‘Next to Normal’] was really the first time I understood that musical theater could deal with serious and nuanced topics in a way I had only thought plays could,” Jensen said.

The selection process for the show is mainly controlled by the students and the executive board of Tisch New Theater, who partnered with Jensen to choose a musical that fit her directorial style. “Next to Normal” may be an award-winning Broadway show, but this year it’s being reinterpreted and staged

through an NYU lens.

Tisch junior Tim Sebastian is the president of Tisch New Theater and a producer of the show. He has many of the same responsibilites a professional producer would have, including venue selection and production costs. Every aspect of the show must be dealt with directly by him.

“If we don’t do it, it’s not getting done,” he said.

Lighting and sound, costume design and set design are just a few of the departments that come together to create this two-and-a-half hour show. It may seem like a lot of work to be thrust upon college students, but the process provides a glimpse into what the world of professional theater is like.

“Once you work professionally, you discover very quickly that it’s not that much different from what you’ve been doing all along in college,” said Gallatin junior Basil Apostolo, the vice president of Tisch New Theater and production manager for the show.

“Sure, budgets are often bigger and the theaters sometimes have more seats, but at the end of the day, it’s still theater.”

While the cast and crew take their roles very seriously, that doesn’t mean the rehearsal process is all work and no play. Given the difficult and emotional nature of the show, the cast members try to release tension when they can.

Tisch junior Samantha Tullie plays Diana Good-

Tisch New Theater’s production of “Next to Normal” opens Tuesday.

SAM KLEIN | WSN

Next to Normal SoHo Playhouse 15 Vandam St. RUNNING Oct. 23 — Nov. 4 COST $15 — $45

man, a mother who is battling bipolar disorder and depression. During one rehearsal, in the midst of a particularly intense scene, Tullie broke character and smiled at something offstage. Making eye contact with Tullie, the producers and stage managers who were watching the rehearsal starting laughing as well.

But not a minute later, Tullie snapped back into character, belting out a beautiful and moving ballad. Her graceful transition in and out of character is representative of the way the cast and crew are able to maintain a friendly, laid-back environment while also staying on track in rehearsals and getting the job done.

The students running this show are peers and classmates, and their camaraderie shows behind the scenes.

“The material we are dealing with is very personal and vulnerable, we have all gotten very close very fast” Tullie told WSN. “Even though we are playing a family, outside of rehearsals we’ve turned into one big cast family as well.”

Cast member and Steinhardt junior Kyle Brenn echoed this sentiment.

“Since the cast is so small, we’ve become very close over the course of the rehearsal process,” Brenn said.

Viewers who go to see “Next to Normal” may forget that they are watching an entirely student-run show. This is understandable, as everything from the acting to the show’s marketing campaign lends itself more to an off-Broadway production. But at its core, “Next to Normal” is a show put on by students, for students and serves as a great example of what classmates can achieve when they work together.

Email Lily Dolin at theater@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News

8

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018

OPINION

OPINION@NYUNEWS.COM

Edited by JANICE LEE

UNIVERSITY LIFE

NYU Is Missing the Marx

By FINLAY MCINTOSH Contributing Writer A two-week celebration of a philosopher sounds like some highfalutin arts festival.

But surprisingly, this celebration is actually a down-to-earth festivity, as the Skirball Center for Performing Arts holds its “On Your Marx” festival observing the life and philoso-

phy of Karl Marx. While getting students to consider political philosophy is a welcomed initiative, it is regrettable that Skirball was unable to present anything other than a celebration of the 200th birthday of the man whose philosophy was attached to many of the 20th century’s worst atrocities.

As a right-leaning student at one of the most liberal universities in the country, I am aware of the dangers of clamping down on viewpoints one finds distasteful, but the celebration of Marx within Skirball seems slightly beyond the pale.

There is a world of difference between a student club using its own money to bring a speaker to campus and a governing body within the university holding a “two-week commemoration,” of a man whose ideas are hardly without their de-

tractors. Skirball is not a student-run organization, meaning that NYU devoted money to put on this program. Indeed, in an interview with this paper, Jay Wegman, the director of Skirball, seemed to express that he had been eager to do an event focusing on Marx from the moment he became director.

This lauding of Marx does not seem to reflect a grassroots effort by students to hear neglected viewpoints. Instead, it appears as an over-enthusiastic attempt by the school to market a set of values to the student body.

The Victims of Communism Foundation puts the death tolls one can attribute to communist regimes at around 100 million. Defenders of Marx like to deflect these numbers by discounting commu-

nist regimes as not truly Marxist, yet it is undeniable that the founders of some of the most tyrannous regimes of the last century were devotees of Marx and influenced by his and Friedrich Engels’ “The Communist Manifesto.”

It is still necessary to remember the vital nature of free speech on campus.

Without freedom of speech on campus, students are deprived of the ability to interact with opposing viewpoints and strengthen their understanding of what motivates political difference. While the ideas of Marx are somewhat outside my political leanings, I greatly appreciate that their presence on campus goes unsuppressed.

The particular issue with this specific Skirball event is that, because it has been designed as a birthday celebration, it feels more

akin to a cult of personality than an exploration of ideas. It seems likely that the student body would find a two-week celebration of Adam Smith’s birthday, complete with performative dances embodying the dynamic nature of the free market, slightly ridiculous.

Likewise, it is troublesome that Skirball has chosen to look at Marx in this adoring way.

There are figures that do, indeed, deserve praise and commemoration following their death — take legendary abolitionist, writer and activist Frederick Douglass, who also celebrates his 200th birthday this year. But when considering more controversial figures, it would seem that a calmer tone from the university is in order.

Email Finlay McIntosh at opinion@nyunews.com.

JUST TECH-ING IN

MFA Is More Necessary Than You Think

By SERENA VANCHIRO Columnist Humans produce approximately 2.5 quintillion bytes of data each day. Every time we post a selfie, make a purchase or even Google something, we grow this set of data and, in turn, our digital footprint — an individual’s log of digital activity on the internet. Every selfie, comment, social media account and piece of login information exists in the digital realm and, if not protected, can be easily accessed by online predators.

Recognizing this fact, many companies offer a method of security that is familiar to all of us NYU students: Multi-Factor Authentication. MFA is a double verification process that ensures there are no unauthorized logins into our accounts. Although perceived by many NYU students as an unnecessary hassle, it is becoming evident that in this digital age, security implementations like MFA are crucial to our protection.

After attempted hacks of NYU’s system in 2017, the university mandated the implementation of MFA across campus. This meant that in order to log into any NYU service or platform, such as email, Albert or NYU Home, students needed to use their phone to authenticate the log in. This service received mixed reviews across campus, with the biggest complaint being the required nature of MFA. Students claim that MFA shouldn’t be made mandatory as security is not a priority for everyone. However, despite the fact that this information

and security may seem unnecessary, our information is a gold mine for hackers, and its protection is crucial.

Hackers have a plethora of tools at their disposal, which they use to attack our online data. From hacking into a corporate databases to installing malware on our computers, these hackers scour the internet for information that they can use for personal gain. With an attack every 39 seconds affecting 33 percent of the United States population each year, we are at a greater risk than we may think. While it may feel like we have nothing to hide that would be useful for hackers, they often look for one thing: passwords.

Knowledge of our passwords allow hackers to gain access to our emails, messages, social media accounts, bank accounts and more. While most hackers don’t personally gain from knowing the private details of our lives, the information they gain from accessing our accounts is often sold

on the dark web — a clandestine, anonymous region of the internet home to criminal activity. Goods ranging from credit cards and login information to educational diplomas can be sold online for prices ranging anywhere from $1 to $1000. Deep in this black market, our information is hardly our own. Once stolen, the information may be worth even more than mere access to our personal accounts; hackers can use our information as a stepping stone to infiltrate encrypted passwords they would otherwise struggle to crack.

While we justify our digital footprint with claims that we have nothing to hide from hackers halfway across the world, our information serves as a commodity for them. To protect ourselves, we must implement security precautions like MFA. This is an easy way to prevent hackers from exploiting our information in both obvious and subtle ways. In an age where we joke about Big Brother, there is little awareness

of the dangers inherent in surfing the web.

While the uncertainty of our digital privacy appears most often in memes — in the form of quips like that of the “FBI guy” — it is important to recognize the inevitability of malicious internet usage and embrace security measurements like MFA, rather than treat them like a nuisance.

What do SpaceX, a commercial leader in the aerospace world, and LELO, a European sex-toy company, have in common?

They’re both pioneers in the tech world and simultaneously changing our lives in more ways than one. Just Tech-ing In will discuss socially and technologically relevant topics like forthcoming innovations, tech controversies, women in STEM and university updates on Tandon projects and startups.

Email Serena Vanchiro at opinion@nyunews.com.

SATIRE

Welcome to Femland

By NATASHA JOKIC Staff Writer Frustrated women of the United States, you’re in luck: there’s a new, women’s only island created just for you. It’s called Femland, because that sounds just enough like Finland that the men in your life (who probably aren’t listening to you anyway) might mishear you and think you’re going on a lovely trip to the Nordics. Unlike Finland, everything will be colored pink; because

how else would we know it’s for women?

I’m here to tell you exactly why you should join me this winter break for a truly unforgettable trip.

We have a morning ritual to cleanse our minds and bodies: hysterical yoga. It’s a bit like screaming yoga, where you unleash a series of swear words and yell to unleash your rage, but more hysterical. Which works, because all these complaints about the injustices in this world are, of course, nothing but hysterical shrieking anyway. Plus, with yoga. Because all women love yoga. Also, we do look great in a pair of leggings. Here’s a handy exercise you can try at home. Breathe in, take a deep lunge, and scream “I can’t believe Brett Kavanaugh got appointed to the Supreme Court.” Feels good, right? I mean, you can say anything you want — your political protests won’t really be taken seriously, so go off.

If all of the screaming is making you

hungry, then you’re in luck. The ladies of Femland know that cooking is largely women’s work, so we’re the ones in the kitchen making sure we offer you the best tasting meals. Our food inspirations here include Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver, some of the greatest culinary masterminds. Obviously you wouldn’t want recipes crafted by women when cooking is a male dominated industry.

That would just be ridiculous. All of these meals would be fat free, of course.

You wouldn’t want to consume all those calories you just burned doing hysterical yoga, now would you?

When you get bored of all the yelling and eating, we offer some of the best laboratories and studio work spaces in the world. Now, if you’re thinking this sounds a bit like science, don’t worry, it’s nothing of the sort; this is Woscience! Of course, women have no interest in STEM

subjects — just look at how few women are entering the field. This is completely different. Woscience. A field of study completely distinct from regular science, despite the similarity in title. And even though you’ll be doing the same amount of work as you would in a field of classic science, you definitely will not be getting the same levels of recognition for your time and sacrifice.

Apart from the workspace, Femland can boast the lowest rates of domestic violence and sexual assault in the world.

Now, I know what you’re thinking — is it because we banned short skirts? Got all women to carry pepper spray? Heavily chastised any of them for drinking? The answer is, of course! It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that there aren’t any men on the island whatsoever.

For those coming with children, we want to assure you that you won’t feel too

far from home during your time in Femland. As a result, we can proudly say that we absolutely do not guarantee paid maternity leave! This puts Femland in a fantastic group of countries, including the United States, Papua New Guinea and Lesotho.

Your home country’s status as one of the only developed countries on this list is a title that we want you all to proudly proclaim. We wouldn’t want the United States to forget just how advanced it is, right?

Before you arrive, make sure to exchange your dollars into Femmoney. Everything costs the same as it does in America, but it’s important to know that one Femmoney is only worth 78 percent of one dollar. After all, isn’t that why you chose to come here?

I look forward to your stay, and Femland eagerly awaits your arrival.

Email Natasha Jokic at opinion@nyunews.com.

Washington Square News | Opinion

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018

9

CULTURE

Hollywood, Latinos Don’t Need Your White Saviors

By MELANIE PINEDA Deputy Opinion Editor This past weekend, the trailer for much-anticipated horror movie “The Curse of La Llorona” was released. It revealed that actress Linda Cardellini — who is of Irish-American descent — was to play the lead role in a film that is basing itself around famous Mexican folklore. Her character, Anna Garcia, is meant to be a social worker attempting to resolve a mysterious case of a Mexican woman’s children disappearing — so she is, quite literally, playing a white savior. Naturally, Twitter users responded with harsh backlash. Although the film is not set to be released until April, it seems as though “The Curse of La Llorona” is going to follow the same white savior narrative that Hollywood has overplayed for some time now.

It’s important to note that the cast of “The Curse of La Llorona” will feature Latino actors and actresses who can actually pronounce Llorona correctly — yes I am looking at you, Ms. Cardellini — and the trailer seems to delve somewhat into the roots of the original story. But the focus of the film is expected to be centered on Cardellini’s family in Los Angeles.

Stories of La Llorona revolve around the ghost of a crying woman who drowned her children and then herself in a river after a fit of rage. Because of this, she is always depicted as appearing by a river in Mexico to steal children so as to replace her own — and definitely not in the suburbs of LA. It’s also uncertain whether or not the director of the film is Mexican himself, with some sites stating he is Portuguese. Regardless, this is yet another example of Hollywood feeling pressured to center a non-white story around a white protagonist.

“The Curse of La Llorona” is far from the first movie to take stories from communities of color only to dissolve them into a predominantly white narrative. The white savior complex even has its own Wikipedia page, citing several critically acclaimed films as complacent in using this trope. “The Blind Side” and “The Help” tell important stories, but at the expense of throwing their far more compelling and multilayered black charac-

ters to the side, choosing instead to focus on the white narrators. In “Hidden Figures,” the scene where the white boss of one of the African American scientists stands up for her to be able to use the whites-only bathroom never actually happened in real life.

Hell, this phenomenon even exists in our country’s own retelling of its history. I have never met a single person who wasn’t taught the romanticized version of Christopher Columbus discovering America in elementary school, only to learn later that those tales were far from the case. The normalization of this trope continues to create a problematic narrative in films that doesn’t allow for communities to tell their own stories to wider audiences.

Yet several movies from recent years have been able to combat this narrative and prove their worth all on their own. This past summer, Netflix released “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” — a film with a half-Korean protagonist — which is now one of the platform’s most streamed original movies ever. The film gained popularity thanks to its likeable characters and refreshingly new take on the rom-com genre. But before this unexpected success came to be, author Jenny Han revealed that only one film company was willing to produce her story with the protagonist being Korean as she is in the books. Every other company said she would have to be white.

One would think that after the success of films such as “Coco” and “Crazy Rich Asians,” the U.S. movie industry would begin to get the hint that yes, people of color can tell their own narratives and still make money. Yet we continue to run into the same problem over and over again: Hollywood movies can’t seem to be made without white people.

I remember my mom telling me stories of La Llorona as a child that would chill me to the bone. I would sit in bed fearfully waiting for her to take me away into the night the way she did to all bad children. The power that story had alone is something that most definitely will come across well on screen if told right. But nowhere in any of my mom’s stories do I remember there being a gringa that had to come and save me from the weeping woman. La Llorona has lived for generations solely through the Latino community’s compelling culture of storytelling. There is no need to force a different narrative into one that can be told well enough on its own.

Email Melanie Pineda at mpineda@nyunews.com.

STAFF EDITORIAL

Our Failed Attempts to Reach the Board of Trustees For nearly four months, WSN has made various attempts to schedule an interview with a member of the Board of Trustees. In mid-June, a few of our news reporters reached out to 10 trustees for interviews, in an attempt to gain some insight into the people who make decisions on behalf of our school. Six trustees had said they were interested in talking to us — but after an extensive back and forth, they all abruptly stopped responding.

Just a few weeks ago, our managing editor reached out to Marc Wais, the vice president of Student Affairs, in hopes of scheduling an interview with a trustee and to learn more about the board’s last meeting. After three weeks, Wais said the trustees would not be able to meet our editor’s request.

“After much thought and discussion, your request is being denied, given the board has increased the number of events in which board members will have direct engagement with students this year,” Wais wrote in an email.

Our multiple failed attempts to reach the Board of Trustees are deeply concerning. This inaccessibility and the overall concealment of board operations convey a lack of transparency with the NYU community.

An on-the-record conversation would give students and faculty alike the knowledge of what the trustees talk about and how they approach the administration of the university. It is our journalistic duty to hold those in power accountable, and to at least foster and encourage an open dialogue between the administration and the student body.

NYU’s Board of Trustees have impeded democratic processes from taking hold within the university. The board voted against three University Senate approved solutions demanding student and faculty representation on the board over the summer. The NYU Student Labor Action Movement has actively campaigned against the lack of transparency when it comes to representation on the board. In response to SLAM and the University Senate’s continued insistence, the board rejected the proposition to increase representation, instead offering executive meetings and annual dinners between the board and student groups, including the University Senate.

As mentioned, despite NYU’s rejection of the Senate resolutions, the Board of Trustees did try and promote further student engagement through its enforcement of new policies that would facilitate communication between students and the board, including meetings between the board and the Senate. But the concessions are, for the most part, vague — they incorporate declarations to “add younger alumni” to the board and promise that administrators will establish deeper engagement with the Senate Committees with which it is most closely aligned. As for the assured website upgrade, we now have access to committee descriptions and assignments. While this response indicates an acknowledgement of the issue at hand, it does little to adequately recognize why the board rejected the Senate’s appeal, and what they felt they might lose by simply including student and faculty representation.

The Board of Trustees is responsible for a number of tasks that directly affect students, including “setting the overarching strategic direction of the university” and “overseeing the financial health of the university.”

As of right now, however, we are only allowed to know the outcomes of the board’s secretive meetings and planning strategies. Notes and minutes of board meetings are not published, and students aren’t allowed to know what goes on in these meetings. We, as students whose livelihoods at this university are decided by this board, have the right to know how major decisions at NYU are made amongst trustees.

NYU is far from being the only institution whose body has begun to question how its Board of Trustees is directed. As tuition and other costs associated with the university continue to rise, a lack of transparency within these boards is becoming more apparent among students who are directly affected. WSN’s goal has always been to increase transparency between our student body and administration. Yet the lack of compliance by the board speaks to a much deeper institutional problem that we refuse to let slide by. We, as students at a university that so often touts its liberal mentality, have the right to clearly understand our school’s decision-making processes, whether that be in terms of board-approved representation or open communication with the press.

Email the Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.

INFORMING YOU FIRST

NYUNEWS.COM Submitting to

JANICE LEE Chair HANNA KHOSRAVI Co-chair MELANIE PINEDA Co-chair

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

Washington Square News

10

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2018

SPORTS

SPORTS@NYUNEWS.COM WEEKLY UPDATE

NYU Swimming and Diving Impress at Home

By ZACH HAN Sports Editor Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Both NYU men’s and women’s swimming and diving came out of Palladium Athletic Facility with wins against Rowan University on Oct. 20.

The men’s team posted a final score of 177115, dominating the butterfly, freestyle and diving events en route to its second straight win. Stern sophomore Elan Oumarov showed out in the 100-yard and 200-yard butterfly, winning first in both events with times of 51.35 and 1:53.58, respectively. SPS senior Nianzhong Liu took first in two events as well, posting a time of 20.98 in the 50-yard freestyle and 46.09 in the 100-yard freestyle. In diving, Nursing first-year Cole Vertin won the three-meter dive with a score of 340.81 and Steinhardt junior Nick Lemieux took second place in the one-meter dive with a score of 293.70.

After falling in its first meet of the season, the women’s team came out with a convincing 181-111 victory over Rowan. NYU was a jack of all trades in this meet, earning first place finishes in various events. Stern junior Honore Collins shone with a triple-winner, finishing first in the 200-yard butterfly (2:09.83), the 200-yard breaststroke (2:26.77) and the 200-yard individual medley (2:09.78). Stern first-year Terra Matsushima performed well too, with two first-place finishes in the 100-yard freestyle (53.02) and the 100-yard butterfly (57.34), as well as a second-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle (24.82). CAS junior Carmen White took both first-place finishes in the thee-meter dive (300.98) and the one-meter dive (312.75).

With the men’s team off to a 2-0 season start and the women’s team bouncing back to even with a 1-1 record, NYU swimming looks strong going into the NYU Fall Invitational on Nov. 2-3 during which it will host the Stevens Institute of Technology.

Men’s Soccer After the disappointing double overtime loss to UAA rival Rochester last week, men’s soccer got back in the win column blanking Lehman College 2-0.

The game appeared to close as both teams remained scoreless at halftime. The defense by CAS senior Grant Engel and Stern sophomore Andrew Ashley was flawless as the NYU goalies combined for four saves overall and allowed no goals. It wasn’t until the second half when NYU’s offense ignited. Stern sophomore Santiago Huertas scored the first goal of the game off of an assist from CAS senior Alexander Dano. Stern first-year and NYU’s leading goal scorer Oliver Kleban doubled the Violets’ score when he hit the back of the net off of an assist from CAS senior Robert Shellow. The Violets outshot Lehman College 17-4 for the game.

This win was NYU’s 11th of the season, with the possibility of reaching 12 during an upcoming visit to UAA rival University of Chicago on Oct. 26.

Women’s Soccer Women’s soccer avoided a loss this week after drawing with Farmingdale State College on Oct. 18 when both teams failed to find the back of the net.

Despite Farmingdale outshooting NYU 14-10 overall and NYU having more shots on goal (65), Stern sophomore and goalkeeper Meghan Marhan and Farmingdale’s goalkeeper stood as staunch defenders, barring any shots from passing by. This marked Marhan’s fifth shutout of the season The Violets will play in their final non-conference game of the regular season against John Jay College on Oct. 22.

Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Both men’s and women’s cross country showed up to compete at the Monmouth Tune-Up on Oct. 19 as they both secured second-place finishes among four teams each.

The men took on the 5K course and were only five points out of first place, finishing with 30 points behind Bloomfield College’s first-place winning 25 points. A total of five runners scored for NYU. CAS junior Yuji Cusick led the Violets with a time of 16:15.40, good enough for a third-place finish out of 50 runners. Stern first-year Chris Shirazi finished right behind Cusick in fourth place, finishing with a time of 16:24.15. Rounding out the rest of NYU scorers were Stern first-year Brandon Mayo in eighth place, Stern senior Soham Kamat in 11th place and Stern first-year Brett Asay in 12th place).

The women finished in second place with 45 total points on the 3K course, only behind Monmouth University, which had 15 total points. Gallatin first-year Valentina House led the way for NYU with a seventh-place finish (11:45.87) out of a pool of 39 runners. The rest of NYU’s runners finished consecutively behind House: Steinhardt first-year Kate Gallagher, Stern first-year Ashley Storino, CAS sophomore Noela Franco, CAS junior Isabella Steains and CAS first-year Athina Zodl.

Both NYU teams will return to action when they compete at the UAA Championship in Chicago on Oct. 28.

Women’s Volleyball The women’s volleyball team finished with an even record of 1-1 this week when it was defeated in a close game with Montclair State University on Oct. 18 but ground out a victory against Hunter College on Oct. 20.

The first game against Montclair was a slugfest, as the Violets played a back-and-forth match, trading and even mirroring match victories. The game was tied at two matches apiece (25-23, 23-25, 25-18, 18-25) before the game-deciding fifth match. The Violets played their hearts out in the final match, even gaining a 13-11 lead late later on. However, they couldn’t muster up another point as Montclair scored four straight points to cement the victory in their favor. For the game, CAS sophomore Jacqueline Kupeli had a team-high 17 digs and CAS senior Daryl Mitchell totaled a team-high 26 assists.

The Violets defended home court against Hunter College as four seniors were honored in the final home game of their careers. NYU played its second five-set match of the week, but came out on the winning side (19-25, 25-23, 25-21, 2325, 16-14). Late in the final set, the teams were tied 14-14 with only so many possessions left in the game. Tisch first-year Abby Ausmus put NYU up 15-14 with a kill and in the ensuing possession, CAS senior Nazzerine Waldon’s kill secured the victory. Waldon led the team with a team-high 13 kills and 17 digs. Mitchell led the team in assists with 25.

The regular season is set to wrap up when the Violets play a doubleheader at the New York Region Challenge on Oct. 26 against Fredonia College and Nazareth College.

Women’s Golf After strong performances at the NYU Fall Invitational last weekend, Tisch sophomore Jessica Wu received Liberty League Performer of the Week and LS first-year Isabel Herrera received Rookie of the Week honors. Wu was NYU’s top finisher last weekend, finishing fourth out of 43 total golfers, while Herrera secured an eighthplace finish. This is the second time each of these players received these awards this season.

Email Zach Han at zhan@nyunews.com.

Edited by BRENDAN DUGGAN and ZACH HAN

Conquering Collegiate Hockey Against All Odds

By ZACH HAN Sports Editor On the first day of training camp, NYU Ice Hockey Head Coach Chris Cosentino told his players, “Battles win shifts, shifts win periods, and periods win games.” He emphasized the importance of attention to detail in practice and how it will lead to success in the long run.

For forward Jake Drucker, 20, a pre-law sophomore and Nassau Community College transfer student, the head coach’s words reminded him of the lessons he learned from his late father: work hard and turn small opportunities into future success.

For as long as he can remember, Drucker knew the biggest connection he had with his father was the game of hockey, which played a pivotal role in the strength of the bond they shared.

“At the same time I was learning how to walk I was learning how to skate, and that was under his direct coaching instruction,” Drucker said. “Any time he had off of work, he had me at the rink ice skating.”

Drucker’s strong work ethic would be put to the test when a sudden pain in his right leg took a devastating turn for the worse in the spring of last year, a few months before the start of his last season with the Wolves. “I didn’t really think anything of it,” Drucker recalled.

The pain was constant for two weeks, so Drucker decided to visit an orthopedist for a diagnosis. Drucker expected the doctor to confirm that it was nothing serious , still all smiles sitting in the orthopedist’s office. When the doctor came into the room, however, he had a stern look on his face — much to Drucker’s surprise. The doctor placed his hand on Drucker’s shoulder and broke the news.

“It was at that point when he just said the word tumor and everything stopped, my ears shut off after that,” Drucker remembered. “Everything he said after the word tumor was just like silence and I was just lost.”

The orthopedist gave him a referral to orthopedic oncologist Bang Hoang, which he blankly stared at in the parking lot upon leaving the office. A biopsy of the tumor revealed it to be benign, but surgical intervention was still necessary if Drucker wanted to continue his playing career. The tumor was eating through bone causing a stress fracture, which was the source of his two-week-long pain. If the tumor remained, the bone would continue to deteriorate.

Drucker agreed to the procedure, and after a successful surgery, the rehabilitation process proved to be a testament to his impeccable work ethic. The grueling 12-week process involved hitting the gym every day, twice a day, seven days a week, working only on one leg because the now-tumor-free leg was unable to bear weight. During rehab, Drucker felt as if his muscles were atrophying. He still managed to stay positive.

His efforts paid off when in October 2017, he was recruited by the NYU ice hockey team. With NYU’s sporting one of the nation’s top pre-law undergraduate programs and a top-10 law school coupled with the allure of playing hockey at NYU was irresistible to Drucker, who also dreamed of making a career in legal practice. Drucker had already been academically preparing himself for a moment like this by taking online courses with Nassau Community College on Long Island while playing junior professional hockey. He realized that he was taking a very unconventional route toward playing collegiate hockey, but he had no regrets.

Life finally seemed to be on the upswing after his tumultuous journey just a few months prior. Months passed and it seemed as if hockey and the anticipation of getting into NYU were the only things on Drucker’s mind. But after a typical game in Massachusetts in March of this year, Drucker received the call that no one wants to get.

While exiting the rink at 1 a.m., a call from his mother informed him that a heart attack took his father’s life. Drucker stood motionless in the parking lot of the rink.

“I was in the middle of this nowhere town, just desolate, dark, cold and I was alone,” Drucker recalled.

COURTESY OF JAKE DRUCKER

Sophomore Jake Drucker plays hockey for NYU, but his path to get there included a tumor and the death of his father.

“Being alone right there was almost being personified because there was nothing around me, no one to console me, nothing going on, so I was just stuck in my thoughts.”

The man who sparked his hockey career, who taught him what it meant to work hard, who cultivated him into the man he was, was gone. Although his father’s sudden absence left a hole, Drucker was not alone though this tragedy. His mother had always been supportive through his life and paired with his father, they created a duality of extreme positivity from his father and realism from his mother. In them, Drucker found a medium of those ideologies to live by. While his mother was there to help him through this dark time, she couldn’t do it all alone.

“My [paternal] grandfather and my uncle have done a terrific job in attempting to fill the void left by my father’s passing,” Drucker said. “There’s always someone I can call to talk about things that you might not talk to your mother about. Without that, I’d be, at least mentally, in a different more adverse place.”

By the time June came, Drucker found himself in a situation like none ohe’d faced before. He had another seemingly impossible obstacle to climb, the only difference being his father would no longer be by his side to face it. Drucker’s NYU decision letter was one of rejection from the College of Arts and Science. Although it seemed as if his world was caving in on itself once again, the person he was taught to be didn’t let him accept this as an abrupt end to his goal.

Drucker sought to find another way to pursue his dreams, which he found at the School of Professional Studies. NYU admissions counselors told him that he could re-apply to SPS as a transfer student, but to do so he needed to have 60 credits from a previous high level institution. From all the online courses he took as a part-time student at NCC, it only amounted to 27 credits. That meant for him to be eligible to apply, he had to somehow accumulate 33 credits within the span of two months. There was the opportunity, granted it was small, there for him to succeed; the situation seemed all too familiar.

During NCC’s summer session, Drucker battled through taking nine classes within the 10 week period.

“I think it was a great test to see if I could survive here at a university like NYU,” Drucker reflected.

“From that point on, it was the same feeling I got from overcoming the tumor. Physically, after I finished [surgery and rehab] I felt like I could do anything athletically. Whereas once I finished nine classes in 10 weeks, it was that same feeling that I could accomplish anything in terms of school.”

Drucker finished with an overall GPA of 4.0 during that summer session. With that, he re-applied to NYU and finally received the letter of acceptance in late August that he expected back in June.

It’s the work ethic that’s a tribute to his father’s influence on him. The work ethic that took these small and seemingly impossible-to-achieve opportunities and turned them into long-term success.

“I’m not a superstar; I’m a hard worker,” Drucker said. “I got here through hard work, not by skill.”

Read the full article online at nyunews.com.

Email Zach Han at zhan@nyunews.com.

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