The Pace Press: Volume 67, Issue 11

April 28, 2016

Est. 1948

Volume 67 | Issue 11

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“NYC Perv” caught by FBI The University faces a scandal as administrator faces criminal charges cHase Ballas News Editor

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On April 12, Scott Lane, the executive director of donor relations and fundraising for the University, was busted by Homeland Security for watching a livestream video of a young be being sexually assaulted, and was officially charge with possession of child pornography and for the sexual exploitation of children. He is currently being held without bail, and is assumed to be sent to Pennsylvania, where the investigation is being conducted. While there is no minimum sentencing for possession of child pornography, the charge of child exploitation carries a sentence upwards to 30 years if convicted.

From the official report, the livestream was shown on July 22, 2015.

It allowed streamers to communicate with the abusers, and make demands for what they want to be seen. The livestream, however, was being watched by Canadian authorities, who took screenshots of the conversations and sent them to American authorities in Homeland Security, who tracked the IP addresses. Lane used the screenname “NYC Perv” and made very graphic requests and comments in the chat.

He was arrested with other individuals who were identified during the livestream investigation. However, he currently denies being the identity of the NYC Perv.

This is the second executive within the University to be busted for child pornography within five years. In 2011, David Watson, the director of cultural

events, plead guilty for procession of an obscene sexual performance by a child after meeting with an undercover agent, pretending to be someone on the Internet, looking to exchange child pornographic images. He got 10 years of probation To add to this disturbing event, the University has yet to make an official statement about Lane; they only sent out a crass email about the situation, without much detail or trying to make sure students and faculty actually know what is happening. There only statement to the press from University President Stephen J. Friedman mimicked that email, quoted, “The University learned today from press reports that Scott Lane, a staff member in donor relations and fundraising, has been arrested on charges of child pornography. Mr. Lane has been terminated, permanently barred from University property and facilities, and no longer employed by the University.”

Within the email sent out by administration, it ended with the line, “Pace University continues to have an unwavering commitment to maintaining a safe environment for all students, faculty and staff.” With a rising movement to make college campuses safer and more assessable to everyone, the University should be assuring concerned students and faculty, as well as applying students and alumni, that this is not tolerated by University administration, instead of sweeping it under the table.

Letter from the University to students and staff.

April 14, 2016 Dear Pace Community, The University learned today from press reports that Scott Lane, a staff member in donor relations and fundraising, had been arrested on charges of child pornography. Mr. Lane has been terminated, permanently barred from University property and facilities, and is no longer employed by the University. The actions that have been alleged did not take place on campus.

Pace University continues to have an unwavering commitment to maintaining a safe environment for all students, faculty, and staff.

Sincerely yours, Stephen J. Friedman

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The Panama Papers crack down on tax evasion cHase Ballas News Editor In the beginning of April, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists released multiple records regarding wealthy and powerful individuals hiding money and other assets in the offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca in Panama. The firm has helped individuals set up anonymous offshore shell, inactive companies in nations with low tax rates, such as Panama, the Bahamas, the Cayman Islands or the British Virgin Islands, as means to protect their wealth from their native nations with higher taxes. While this practice is not illegal per se, it often leads to tax evasion, not accurately disclosing financial situations, which is illegal, and why those listed are in controversy.

In total, 12 national leaders, amongst other 143 politicians, their families and associates, are accused of using offshore tax havens to protect their wealth.

Historically, Mossack Fonseca has had previous other investigations over money laundering. In particular, Panama is a very easy nation to set up shell companies. As said by Panamanian lawyer Miguel Antonio Bernal, Panama offers a, “…full service [of money laundering]: rinse, wash and dry. You can go to any law firm in the city, from the smallest to the biggest, and open up a shell company with no questions asked.”

The most notable foreign figure involved in the scheme is Russian President Vladimir Putin. While not directly named, associates and friends of Putin have been shown to have a 2 billion dollar trail leading to Putin, who secured their membership in Mossack Fonseca.

Putin has publically denied the claims, calling them an American plot to destroy Russia, saying that, “There is a friend of Russian president, he did something, probably, that implies corruption…

What corruption? There is none.”

Another major foreign politicians connected to the scheme is British Prime Minister David Cameron. The leak showed that his father benefitted from setting up an offshore trust, which he benefitted from after selling is share of the company. In response, he is planning to fund a new British task force to address tax evasion, commenting that, “law enforcement will be able to see exactly who really owns and controls every company [in British territory]… We want everyone with a stake in fighting corruption, from law enforcement, civil society, to the media, to be able to use this data and help us root out and deter wrongdoing.” He plans, however, has received sharp criticism from opposing parties.

In the United States, the

controversies noted in the Panama Papers were essentially predicted in 2011, after President Barack Obama signed three free trade deals that were largely opposed by Democrats because it would make it easier for companies to set up offshore trusts, which were predicted by then Vermont Senator, and now Democratic presidential candidate, Bernie Sanders, who called Panama, “a world leader when it comes to allowing large corporations and wealthy Americans to evade U.S. taxes.”

As then Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton supported President Obama’s decision. After the leak, Clinton has vowed to, “…make sure that everyone pays their fair share here in America.

I’m [Clinton] going to hold them accountable, and we’re going to have a special effort to track all these resources wherever they might lead.” However, major contributors to her and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, have been listed in the papers, including Gabrielle Fialkoff (Hillary’s f i n a n c e director during her Senate campaign), Frank Giustra (who donated upwards of $100 million to the Clinton Foundation and is one its board), the Chagoury Group (who pledged one billion dollars to the Clinton Global Initiative), and Marc Rich (who was pardoned by Bill on his last day in office over previous charges of tax evasion).

Currently, numerous nations are setting up investigation forces to deal with tax evasion as a result from the Panama Papers, including a Panamanian raid of Mossack Fonseca properties.

However, the ICIJ is refusing to aid the Department of Justice in their investigation, saying that they are, “…shielded by the First Amendment and other legal protections from becoming an arm of law enforcement.” Also noteworthy, British Parliament has found no evidence to investigate Prime Minister Cameron.

The Panama Papers has highlighted major flaws in global taxation, and is predicted to influence multiple elections.

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Tuition increases causes tension within the University Students cope with an announced 3-5% tuition increase from administration Jessica Kovac Editorial Intern New. Modern. Exciting. Stunning. These are just a few choice adjectives President Friedman used to describe the new plans in store for the University come 2020. The administration began working on a proposal called “Building On Our Success” in 2015 to modernize the Pleasantville and New York City campuses. The Strategic Plan Committee, led by President Stephen Friedman, consists of high-ranking members of the schools on both campuses. For the majority of 2015 and 2016, the committee continued with their plans and students continued with their daily routine, until halfway through the spring semester when students were notified of a 3-5% tuition increase for the next four years.

Before “Building On Our Success” there was “Opportunities in the 21st Century: Seizing the Moment,” a five-year plan that preceded the one presently taking place. The University worked to create fully online degree programs, create a stronger alumni outreach program and implement an agile approach to enrollment as the University becomes more competitive. “Opportunitas in the 21st Century” marks the progress on the University’s campuses from 2010-2015. In 2014, Friedman and his advisors drew up a report to start thinking about how they could build on this initial success. To fund what would later be known as Building On Our Success, Friedman increased the University’s tuition again at 4%. Now, just about two years into the second part of the plan, Friedman is raising tuition again— this time at a yearly rate.

Students all have the same question— what are we paying for? The plan launched by the University is considerably vague. When students are asked to immediately part with their money and are told that they are going to graduate with more debt, they should be given answers to specifics at least as common courtesy. The Office of Student Affairs did not respond to request for comment.

There are significant changes taking place on campus that are important to consider. The email that administration sent out to students about the increase was a “heads up” about the increase. President Friedman did not speak about any of the exciting new opportunities for students that would be coming to either campus.

Sophomore Alec Kirazian says, “I was told about the changes by some professors in the Peace and Justice Department who explained to us there’s a master plan to revamp 1 Pace Plaza. The problem is, the administration hasn’t communicated that with the students at all. In fact, the letter we got just sort of says why an undergraduate degree is really important. I wish they told us ahead of time.”

Earlier in September, an email was sent out to students that detailed President Friedman’s excitement to start a new semester. A link was attached, taking students to a three minute video that talked about plans the administration had in store for the University. However, the video was as vague as the email, talking about broad objectives rather than being able to point to specific programs in place. There have also been no follow-up emails discussing how work on the renovations are going, how successfully programs are being implemented or a simple overview of the plan for students since September, nor has there been a follow-up email on the tuition increase since March.

The majority of the Building on Our Success plan is going towards renovating both the New York City and Pleasantville campuses. By 2020, the exterior of the New York City campus will be restored. The classrooms in 41 Park Row will be refurbished, and collaboration rooms will be added to One Pace Plaza. At Pleasantville, the residence halls are being renovated and the athletics field has been restored. Both campuses have always been available to all Pace students. However, how students choose to use two campuses remains a question. Ask the question, “Have you ever been to the Pleasantville campus?” to a room full of students at the University library, and the answer is a unanimous no. Tuition is being increased for changes that have virtually no effect on New York students. A new athletic field and updated residence halls have nothing to with students who have never set foot in Westchester.

A criticism that has surfaced from this plan is that while the campuses are being refurbished, faculty and courses are getting cut.

Adjunct professors in particular are not getting the attention they deserve.

A priority in the Building On Our Success Plan is the Pace Path, an experience-based program of activities designed by faculty and staff to develop students throughout their college careers through the integration of in-class and outside of classroom learning. There is a strong emphasis in this plan to have a stronger advising and mentoring program by increasing alumni relations and making full-time faculty more readily available so that collaboration is taking place for all four years of a student’s college career.

The priorities of students and administration continually are at odds.

When money is a factor, the tension only rises. The students are asking for something very simple— tell us what we are paying for. Beyond that, the students have little input. Few know the school better than the people who attend the classes, live in the dorms, and attend the events. The students and the administration should be working together to make a better Pace.

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The University opening two new residents halls: Alumni Hall in Pleasantville (above) and Beekman Street (below)

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The controversy of using a bathroom North Carolina passes infamous “bathroom bill” and receives blacklash

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MaXiMilliano onofre Executive Editor On March 23, at 9:57 pm, the state of North Carolina passed the Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act, or House Bill 2, a highly controversial bill that has been dubbed as their “bathroom bill,” and “anti-LGBT” law. The bill states that it is “an act to provide for single-sex multiple occupancy bathroom and changing facilities in schools and public agencies and to create statewide consistency in regulation of employment and public accommodations,” meaning that it wants to make people, regardless of gender, use the restroom and changing facilities of the sex assigned at birth.

This bill’s controversy comes from the unsafe environments it will foster for people of transgender experience, who may not always look the gender they identify as and may risk harassment and assault by using a bathroom they do not feel comfortable in. But Republican Governor Pat McCrory believes that the bill will only help people feel safe in the facilities.

When speaking on Meet the Press Gov. McCrory stated, "I do believe in our high schools, in our middle schools, in our universities, we should continue to have the tradition that we've been having in this country for years. And we have a women's facility and a men's facility. You know, it's worked out pretty well. And I don't think we need any further government interference.”

However, not everyone agrees with this statement, denouncing it as transphobic. Although the state did not believe that the bill would have any negative effects, there has been pressure from many companies and people to repeal the law.

Two major corporations recently pulled out from plans to add new jobs as they expanded into North Carolina. Deutsche Bank and Pay Pall both announced their withdrawing, making the state lose $3.6 million and approximately 650 jobs.

Others, like Bruce Springsteen, the band Boston and Ringo Star canceled their concerts in response to the bill, as a form of solidarity. In his statement, Springsteen apologized to his fans but stated, "Some things are more important

than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them."

The governor continues to feel the pressure as more and more people protest, including states like New York who have banned “non-essential” travel to North Carolina. "In New York, we believe that all people—regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation—deserve the same rights and protections under the eyes of the law," Cuomo said in a statement, "From Stonewall to marriage equality, our state has been a beacon of hope and equality for the LGBT community, and we will not stand idly by as misguided legislation replicates the discrimination of the past."

Although the ACLU of North Carolina and Lambda Legal have filed a federal lawsuit along with three individuals, with the argument that HB2 violates equal treatment, McCrory continues to stand by his decision, repeating that “political correctness has gone amok.” The state’s Attorney General, Roy Cooper, has stated that he will not defend the bill.

Gov. McCrory has acknowledged the

aftermath of the bill, but stands by it. He’s tried to pacify the discontent of LGBTQA groups and people around the nation by signing an executive order to expand equal employment policies to include sexual orientation and gender and said he would ask legislators to reinstate the right to sue for discrimination, which HB2 restricted but it doesn’t seem to be doing enough.

Regardless of Gov. McCrory’s defensive nature about the HB2 law, some transgender individuals have spoken up saying they will defy the bill because otherwise they are put in danger. Gov. McCrory stated that while there may need to be more dialogue on the issue from both sides, he will not budge yet.

"What we have to do is deal with this extremely new social norm that has come to our nation at a very quick period of time and have these discussions about the complexity of equality, while also balancing the concept of privacyincluding privacy in the most private areas in life-which is a restroom, locker room or shower facility in our high schools."

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April 28, 2016

OPINION AND eDITORIALS

editorial Board christian Gomez Editor Maximilliano onofre Executive Editor ashley spencer Advertising Manager chase Ballas News Editor sarah Hartzell Arts Editor natalie carolina condrillo Features Editor deniah cagara Graphic Design traci thomas Social Media dr. stephanie Hsu Faculty Consultant

The Pace Press is the student newspaper of Pace University’s New York City Campus. It is managed and operated entirely by members of the student body as it appears above.

Max made me write this My time at the Pace Press has introduced me to some of the most capable students at the University. It has been an honor to work and teach the future of the Pace Press. The position of Editor-in-Chief is a position that has taught me the ins and outs of the University, and I’ve witnessed a broken bureaucracy that does not put the students first. The best interest of the Pace Press was the last thing on many of the agendas of the Universities administrators. Working as E-I-C, I worked and communicated with parts of this university that make OSA looks properly managed.

While I disagree with the systems in place that governs student organizations, I know my opinion is one of many that feel the current state of non-student-run leadership no longer has the best interest of all students – except within select branches. I hope the best for fellow student organizations, which is the lifeblood of the college experience. During my time at the university, Student-run organizations have faced threats of reduction in funding and compensation. This affects not only the students that devote time to running these organizations, but also the administrators that give their time to help guide and represent these organizations.

I leave the Pace Press in some of the most capable hands, I know those who will replace me as E-I-C will fight for the budget and fair treatment that they deserve to make the highest quality paper they can. I loved my time at the Pace Press, bullshit from administration and all. The satisfaction of producing a physical thing with a great team made it all worth it. bye <3 Christian Gomez

The Pace Press welcomes guest editorials and letters from students, faculty, administration and staff.

The Pace Press reserves the right to not publish any submitted material, both solicited and unsolicited.

All submissions must include the author’s full name and contact information.

The Pace Press 41 Park Row, Rm. 906 New York, NY 10038 www.thepacepress.org editor@thepacepress.org Copyright 2016

disclaiMer: These opinions are expressed by contributors (students, faculty, administration and staff) to The Pace Press. These opinions are solely those of the individual writers and do not reflect the opinions of The Pace Press, the members of The Pace Press staff or Pace University. The Pace Press is not responsible and expressly disclaims all liability for damages of any kind of arising out of use or relevance to any information contained in this section.

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ARTS

Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice Two takes on Hollywood’s most divisive blockbuster deniaH caGara Graphic Design “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” bulldozes a potentially strong story line, relying heavily on CGI while attempting to stick to a confusing plot. “Dawn of Justice” does stay true to its title, cramming as much as possible to set up for the upcoming Justice League movie in 2017. “Batman vs. Superman” was all over the place, jumping back-and-forth between Batman and Superman until they go head-to-head in their epic CGI battle scene.

“Batman vs. Superman” had the potential of being a really good start for the DC movie universe, and although it met the expectations of the new era of DC fans, “Batman vs. Superman” sadly failed to impress the DC fans who have been following both the comics and the DC movies to date.

The casting choices left dedicated DC fans confused, having Ben Affleck trying to fulfill Christian Bale’s shoes by playing Bruce Wayne/Batman and Jesse Eisenberg taking on the role as Lex Luthor. Affleck played an amazing Bruce Wayne but fell flat playing the role as Batman. He also shocked many Batman fans when he defied Batman’s noweapons philosophy by using a gun in his dream sequence and stabbing a henchman in the movie. Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor was portrayed as a bratty college graduate who is living off his family’s wealth rather than a wildly brilliant entrepreneur who loathes Superman as he is typically portrayed in Superman’s stories. “Batman vs. Superman” has set a standard for DC fans, leaving the movie theaters more confused and unfulfilled than amused and satisfied.

Not only was the choice of actors confusing, the story line lacked fluidity and substance as well. “Batman vs.

Superman” down played Batman and put Superman on a pedestal, literally illustrating Superman as a God-like, Messiah figure in the film. The introduction to Wonder Woman was abrupt, introducing the much-anticipated character first as Diana Prince, then having her come in as Wonder Woman much later on in the movie. Zach Snyder teases die-hard DC fans about the future development of the Justice League. In comparison, introducing members Cyborg, the Flash, and Aqua Man in Dawn of Justice was unsatisfying and abrupt, collectively having a minute or two of screen time throughout the whole movie, whereas Wonder Woman had a whole fighting scene.

Although “Batman vs. Superman” missed the mark in terms of story, Snyder did not fail his audience with the fighting sequences. “Batman vs. Superman” had the best fighting sequences to date throughout the

DC Comics

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cHristian GoMez Editor in Chief Television is in a renaissance currently. Ask anyone what the best show they are currently watching and you are bound to get 5 different shows from each person. The quality of television and amount of programs is on a constant rise thanks to change in how TV is made. With new production houses and content distributors like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime, directors and producers no longer have to submit to the old ways of making TV where the mass audience was the key demographic. Now we live in a time where companies are much more willing to take risks on the type of content they produce.

Hollywood has been keeping a close eye on this situation is very much, while focusing on conserv-

DC movie saga, leaving the factions of new DC fans and long-standing fans to debate over which fighting scene was the best in the movie. Snyder made his mark in “Dawn of Justice,” executing his expertise in CGIimagery in fighting scenes and Batman’s dream sequences.

“Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” had high expectations for DC fans, hoping to set off the potential Justice League movie. Unfortunately, “Batman vs.

Superman” failed to meet those expectations, down playing a potentially powerful story plot that could have been a good lead into the Justice League film franchise, and not fulfilling the standards of both new era DC fans and already-dedicated DC fans. “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” indeed pushes fans to watch the upcoming Justice League film, but also leaves them nervous of what is yet to come for the upcoming DC slate of movies.

ing a long held tradition in TV: creating a serialized product. To quickly explain serialization, we need to look to shows like Breaking Bad and the X-files.

While both shows did not start the trend they are shows that perfected it. Serialization in television is when a show tells an over-arching story across multiple episodes. In the X-Files the story was the greater government conspiracy with alien human hybrids.

Breaking Bad was an anthology on Walter White devolving into the villain of his own story. This is nothing new for TV but now the film industry has begun to incorporate this technique into their films.

The easiest example of Serialization of film is the rise of the comic book universe movie.

Every new Marvel movie and DC movie is interconnected; which works with the franchises that are intertwined with lots of characters that

interact, but now other films are joining this bandwagon.

Hasbro has announced that they will be attempting to create a centralized cinematic universe along the lines of the Marvel universe with franchises like transformers and G.I. Joe. This bandwagon of making all movies connected seems like a gross misunderstanding of why the Marvel movie serialization works.

Marvel slowly built its superhero movie empire with movie after movie that focused on a single group of heroes growing the casts in each and growing the over-arching story over a long period of time. DC is currently playing catch-up with their superhero universe by jamming in too many side characters into a few movies to allow the confirmed Justice League film to come out sooner than later. Batman Vs. Superman shows that DC is attempting to save as much time as possible establishing their roster of heroes, sneaking in four other characters on top of Batman and Superman. This is a bandwagon meant to copy a profitable formula without giving it the care that Marvel did. Serializing movies also creates a strange situation for critiquing film.

The newest Star Wars movie is in an almost critical limbo. While it followed the formula and narrative arch of a New Hope it can not totally be criticized as copying a New Hope totally until the next film comes out. The New batch of Star Wars movies directed by J.J. Abrams can not totally be judged until the following films which will truly establish the new formula and directing style for the main Star Wars franchise. This is interesting but allows for movies that are just OK to skim by and be held up by the greater franchise.

It is nothing new that industries are copying the more profitable formulas from each other but it is interesting that formerly the underdog of the TV industry would emulate the film industry and now the tables are turned as Television is far easier to consume and more tailored than they used to be.

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April 28, 2016

Candidates show off their (lack of) acting chops Jessica Kovac Editorial Intern Say what you will about his presidential race, but it has been anything but boring. It has been just about a year since the presidential candidates started announcing their campaigns and time has flown by since. A slew of debates, town halls and late night television shows has led to what is sure to be an exciting convention. The drama of the presidential race is nothing new, however.

Here in the United States we are known for a long, drawn out electoral process that tends to be rather dramatic. By comparison, in England, the electoral process lasts one month and in Canada, an election cycle averages around 40 days. cnn.com Bernie Sanders and Larry David both portray Sanders on “SNL” This prolonged process often ends up becoming a spectacle.

Candidates seemingly will do anything to reach voters and the way to reach the most voters is still through television. Campaign strategists know this and take full advantage. Candidates on both sides fight for the prime spot on late night television shows, cameos on the most popular dramas and comedies as well as spotlights on popular news shows such as “Face the Nation” and “CBS This Morning.”

Democratic and Republican candidates alike have taken their turn in the media spotlight.

Senator Bernie Sanders is now widely youtube.com Trump featured on “SNL” 9news.com Hillary Clinton on “Broad City” known for his doppelgänger played by Larry David on “Saturday Night Live.” David first appeared in a skit imitating Sanders after one of the first Democratic debates. Users immediately took to social media commenting in disbelief on the similarity between the two men.

Sanders played off of the conversation, appearing at a later date on SNL for a cameo with David satirizing topics such as the economy and immigration. David also did an independent skit called “Bern Your Enthusiasm.” The skit combined David’s personality on his hit show “Curb Your Enthusiasm” with that of the presidential candidate “Bernie Sanders.”

Clinton has also made her fair share of appearances.

Having taken on a reputation as cold and unrelatable, these shows are a prime opportunity to change the message. These associations have stood firm with women and millennials in particular—two groups that were assumed to be guaranteed votes for the former Secretary of State. Clinton has appeared on the set of “Scandal” and filmed a cameo on the show “Broad City,” two shows that emphasize female empowerment and are popular among the millennial base. cbs.com Stephen Colbert defends Ted Cruz from booing on “The Late Show” The most controversial candidate on the Republican side has taken full advantage of media appearances. Donald often is because they know there is no way to change these voters’ minds.

Trump, the GOP frontrunner, has made it very clear he is Since the days of Kennedy and Nixon, the media has played a critical part self-funding his campaign. One of the primary ways he is able to spread the word without spending a dime is through television appearances. Being in the political process. It is how voters get to know the candidates beyond the the nontraditional candidate has given Trump a definite advantage. He has issues, instilling a level of trust that convinces them to show up to their polling been asked to host “Saturday Night Live” as well as appear on the show. places come November. The rise in social media gives these appearances an The mainstream media is also fascinated with his campaign and how he entirely new power. Junior Adriana Carmona says, “I definitely think television has managed to create such a strong following. He is often on the shows appearances help presidential candidates, especially with the millennial commenting on world events and other candidates daily happenings. audience. It makes the candidates a lot more relatable and likable. It’s nice The remaining candidates, however, struggle to relate as well when to see that they can have a little fun and not take themselves too seriously.”

When Bernie Sanders goes on Stephen Colbert the hashtag #FeelTheBern it comes to media appearances. Ted Cruz and John Kasich, the more traditionalist GOP candidates, struggle to have the “cool” factor that has rises on Twitter, stirring new conversation about the candidate. When come naturally to Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. When they are on the candidate controls the scene around the appearance, such as Clinton the shows they stick with the issues and rarely deviate from there. Since appearing on a show that celebrates female empowerment, this can be even the late night shows tend to lean liberal, Cruz and Kasich prepare for an more effective as Clinton becomes associated with female empowerment. unwelcoming crowd. When Cruz appeared on “The Late Show With Hashtags stir such as #ImWithHer rise to show support fort the candidate.

Stephen Colbert,” he was booed when Colbert asked a question about gay The media is the “make or break” for a presidential campaign— the marriage. One of the reasons these candidates choose not to appear as extra step needed to convince voters that a candidate is the right choice.

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“Hamilton” for a Hamilton

New Broadway shows

How to get Broadway tickets on a student budget Katrina Alonso Editorial Intern They used to call it the Great White Way—with its bright lights, big signs, and brilliant stages, Broadway was the place to be. Even in 2016, going out to see a Broadway show is a big part of what makes college life in the city so spectacular. Of course, not everyone can afford $200 orchestra seats to a new show every weekend, but students in New York City can always find a way to get around the steep prices of seeing live theater.

The most popular shows on Broadway often do lotteries where the winners can buy tickets to the next show for a fraction of the real cost.

“Hamilton” is the best example of this: for every show, they hold a lottery in which the winners can see “Hamilton” for a Hamilton—that is, they only have to pay $10 to see the show that took the Broadway world by storm. The lottery has gone digital due to dangerous crowding and frigid winter weather, so every morning starting 9 AM, anyone can enter the lottery for that day’s show. Shows like “Aladdin,” “Jersey Boys,” and “Les Misérables” have taken similar routes and launched online lotteries for their shows as well. However, many shows continue to hold in-person lotteries, like “The Book of Mormon” does two and a half hours before each performance in front of the Eugene O’Neill theater.

If you don’t mind standing for the duration of the show you want to see, you should consider trying to get standing room tickets. They are often the cheapest—even cheaper than lottery

tickets, sometimes—but they are only available for certain shows under certain conditions. Usually, for shows like “Chicago” and “Fun Home,” standing room tickets are only available at the box office when the performance is sold out. “The Book of Mormon” is again the only exception: standing room tickets are available immediately after the lottery.

In addition to those digital lotteries, many have taken to purchasing tickets off of an app called TodayTix, which sells discounted tickets for shows that appear within the next week of your search. The venues put out the tickets that have yet to be sold by the time the week of the performance rolls around and TodayTix resells them at nominal prices. Granted, you cannot choose exactly where you sit and it can be a bit last minute, but for college students who are used to their lives turning on a dime, this app is a great way to save some money. It also hosts digital lotteries that only TodayTix members can access, like for the shows “She Loves Me,” “Fun Home,” and “Long Day’s Journey into the Night.” The lotteries for these shows come at exceptionally low prices: the most you would pay as a winner would be $35 for a “Fun Home” ticket. Still, even without the lotteries, cheap tickets are easy to find on TodayTix. Shopping online for cheap tickets is a popular move, especially since it does not require sitting in front of a theater before 9 AM to rush tickets. NYtix.com is a popular website that sells discounted Broadway tickets. Though you can only access their tickets with a membership, the $4 monthly membership fee is a reasonable investment for frequent

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theatergoers. Avid couponers should also take note: websites like Broadway Box and Broadway Insider give out discount codes that to use when buying tickets online.

Of course, students also get some special perks of their own. Student rush tickets, which are usually available at the box office as soon as it opens, are only offered to students with a valid school ID and are heavily discounted. “Eclipsed,” starring Lupita Nyong’o, offers them when the box office opens, while “She Loves Me” offers student rush tickets 30 minutes before curtain. Students do not always have to come to the theater for discounted tickets, however. For patrons between the ages of 18 and 35, Roundabout theater’s Hiptix program offers $25 mezzanine tickets to certain shows they are partnered with. For older students, the Lincoln Center theater’s LincTix program for patrons 21 to 35 offer $32 tickets to shows at certain theaters sponsored by Lincoln Center. Popular shows on these programs are “She Loves Me” under Hiptix and “The King and I” under Linctix. Tix4Students.com, which requires a $7 membership to access, is not as cheap as these other options, but will certainly fetch more decent prices than Ticketmaster or Telecharge.

Finally, once all of these options have been exhausted, the TKTS booths under the stairs in Times Square and the one on Water Street offer tickets at half their regular prices. Beware, however: theaters send TKTS their most expensive seats, so even at half-price, those tickets will still be pretty pricey.

Live theater is and always has been an important cultural experience that

American Psycho: The Musical This musical adaptation of the cult classic film follows the story of Patrick Bateman, a rich, gorgeous Wall Street banker who has it all—including a murderous alter ego.

Eclipsed Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o stars in this evocative portrait of women struggling against the chaos of the Liberian Civil War. It is the first Broadway play with an all-black and female creative cast and crew.

Bright Star A rich musical set in the Deep South during the ‘20s and ‘40s, “Bright Star” tells the story of Alice Murphy, a lauded journal editor, and Billy Cane, a young soldier and talented writer and how a secret from their pasts bring their lives together in a completely unexpected way.

Waitress Based on a 2007 movie of the same name, “Waitress” is about a pregnant waitress in the South trapped in an abusive marriage who finds happiness in making creatively titled pies. This fun musical is set to a score by Sara Bareilles.

Tuck Everlasting Winnie Foster discovers the magical secret of the Tuck family and has the adventure of a lifetime in this new musical based on the award-winning book by Natalie Babbitt, which also features Outer Critics Circle Award nominee Andrew Keenan-Bolger as Jesse Tuck. should not be available only to those who can afford to pay full price. With all of these discounts, any University student could surely afford a night out to see a stage show.

“Lemonade” spills artist’s pain TRACI Ann THOMAS Webmaster

This past weekend, Beyoncé Knowles Carter released her 6th solo album, “Lemonade”. The artist also premiered an hour-long visual album on HBO, which included all 12 of the album’s songs. While both fans and critics have given the album and short film praise, the background to “Lemonade” has created stir since the release.

Fans of the superstar have been guessing for the past two months what “Project Lemonade” would consist of. It’s first single, “Formation”, set an apparent tone that Beyoncé’s latest project would focus on social issues and the current tension in American culture. “Lemonade” did so, but in a different fashion.

Audiences have also been deep in speculation on social media about the artist exposing her current marital status with rapper and entrepreneur, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter. The two have been married since April of 2008.

The short film ultimately served as a narrative for the multiple stages that the protagonist (played by Knowles) has to face once discovering that her husband had been cheating. Song are paired along different emotional stages, leading her audience through the toil a woman faces when picking up the pieces and finding peace within herself to move on. This theme of coping and progressing from one’s pain is also mirrored through loss of life; as footage of Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin’s mothers were featured. Jay-Z makes an emotional appearance toward the end of the film, and their daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, is featured in several sequences along with other star cameos.

The Knowles-Carter family are usually consistent at keeping their personal lives private, but 2014 ignited one of the year’s biggest rumors. TMZ released the now infamous footage of the rapper being beaten by Beyonce’s younger sister, Solange Knowles, at the star-studded New York Met Gala while the singer did not intervene. Many assumed that the situation occurred due to the possibility that Solange found out about Jay-Z’s infidelity. Previous speculations connected Carter with his former manager and business partner’s ex-wife, Rachel Roy. Roy took to Instagram and alluded to the most talked about reference from the broadcast, “Becky with the good hair”; which brought showers of negative responses from Beyoncé fans. Singer Rita Ora was also later targeted as “Becky”.

Both “Lemonade’s” music and film work together to fuel the speculation of the rapper’s alleged actions. Knowles’ lyrics resonate a story of a woman scorned by a cheating husband, but the referencing of personal information potentially concluded that the vocalist was singing not only as a representation of those who have had unfaithful partners, but also about her own personal experiences. In the 2013 HBO documentary, “Life is but a Dream,” Knowles reveals that she suffered a

miscarriage prior to Blue Ivy. Poignant lines like “Here lies the mother of my children both living and dead,” can only prolong speculation that Beyonce’s newest music came from core experiences and emotions.

While it is currently unclear if Beyonce’s narrative in the project was personally inspired or artistically crafted, “Lemonade” has proven to be her most personal project to date. Many listeners have voiced their appreciation to the work, due to their own connection to the album’s themes and subjects.

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April 28, 2016

Powerpuff Girls return to save the day anna YesilevsKiY Staff Writer Nostalgia seems to be at the forefront of television networks these days as yet another late ‘90s show has recently been revived. The latest take on the beloved children’s show “The Powerpuff Girls,” about three sisters—Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup—who have superpowers and fight crime to protect their hometown, premiered this week on the Cartoon Network after a fifteen-year break from the television screen.

The new show follows the same characters and their adventures as they continue to fight crime in the City of Townsville.

However, this show is quite different from the original one. For one, the episodes consist of two eleven minute segments, whereas the original episodes were twenty-two minutes long. Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup are now voiced by new voice actresses, which are jarringly unfamiliar to those who were used to the iconic voices of the original show. Furthermore, although they are slight alterations, the physical appearances of the characters have also been changed. In this new version of “The Powerpuff Girls,” Blossom’s bow has been rounded, Bubbles’ pigtails have been moved and Buttercup now has a cowlick. The ages of these three famous sisters have also changed: the sisters were five-year-olds on the original show, but on this new show they are tweens.

In comparison to the original version of the show, this new show plans to explore in more depth the lives of these three female characters. The creators and executive producers of the show also hope to explain their personalities better, as executive producer Nick

Jennings has said, “The first part of the process for us was to really just sort of figure out ‘Who is Blossom? Who is Buttercup? Who is Bubbles?’

By developing them as stronger personalities and understanding them more as characters, we were able to write stories that are more relatable to people. I think you connect with them better.”

Furthermore, while the villains of the old show—such as Mojo Jojo and Princess Morbucks— will return to the new show, there will also be new villains. One such villain that will appear on this revival will be named M a n b o y,

giving out at this time, so we sort of had her move on. And that was a good choice I think on our part.”

The revival of “The Powerpuff Girls” has stirred up a lot of excitement among fans of the original, many of whom may now have their own children to watch the show with. As new episodes of the revived show premiered this week, the Cartoon Network also launched a website called Powerpuff Yourself, which fans can use to create their own characters that are drawn in the show’s style. In addition, fans can also use the website to create Powerpuff-style characters of other well-known characters and celebrities.

University students also said what they thought of this show coming back after such a long break. Sophomore Junuren Li said that she watched the show when she was young and remembers that, “It was very amusing.” She thinks that it is a good idea that the show has been brought back as she stated, “kids now can watch it too.” However, Li said that personally she is not excited that the show is coming back because she wouldn’t watch it anymore.

Freshman Julia Briganti said that “The Powerpuff Girls” was her favorite cartoon when she was younger and that unlike Li, she is very cartoonnetwork.com excited to watch the revived show. She said, “I who will have the power of a man but will be the size adored the show when I was little so I’m looking of a boy and is obsessed with everything that is manly. forward to seeing how they bring it back to life.”

Another difference between the old and new She also thinks it is a great idea that the show “Powerpuff Girls” is that the mayor’s assistant, Ms. was brought back because, “It’s an awesome Bellum will not appear in the new show. Jennings representation of girls having power and saving explained the choice of not including Ms. Bellum others which is lacking in our media today.” by saying, “We felt like Ms. Bellum wasn’t quite indicative of the kind of messaging we wanted to be

Katy Perry wins court case against nuns aMoreena crispino Editorial Intern

On Wednesday, April 13, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Stephanie Bowick issued pop star Katy Perry the rights to own a former Roman Catholic convent. Since Perry also has the approval of the archbishop, her future of owning the property is now in the hands of the Pope.

Perry, the daughter of a Protestant pastor, was facing against the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary during the court case. These nuns used to live in this convent at and they wanted to sell it to Los Angeles restaurateur Dana Hollister. Last June, the archdiocese filed a lawsuit against the nuns, saying that the sisters did not have the authority to sell the convent to Hollister. Judge Bowick ruled to block the sale to Hollister, the main reason being that even if the nuns did have the authority to sell the property, they did not properly validate the transaction. Selling the convent to Perry was still under contract at this point.

Shortly after this case was heard, Perry offered to buy the convent. It is classified as an eight-acre Roman Villa-style property and was being sold for $14.5 million. The nuns refurbished the convent and are thinking about accepting the price that Perry offered, despite the fact that Hollister offered them $15.5 million, wanting to turn the property into a hotel.

The sisters have not lived in the convent for several years, but they have owned it for over 40 years. Only five sisters in their 70s and 80s remain and they want to make sure their precious property gets put in the

right hands. An unnamed devout Catholic whose wish was for the nuns to always keep him in their prayers previously bestowed the property to them.

Some students at the University caught wind of this news and shared their opinion about Katy Perry purchasing a convent. Freshman Victoria Eaton says, “When my roommate told me about this I was so confused, partly because Katy Perry has become kind of irrelevant, but also because I’m curious as to why she would want a convent. I guess best of luck to her?” of the One of the Sisters Mary, Sister Immaculate Heart of Catherine R o s e , mentioned that before this court case, she had never heard of Perry. Some people might be offended by Sister Catherine Rose’s statement, but she is probably better off not knowing the song “I Kissed a Girl.”

Being the kind woman she is, Perry has offered to purchase another offsite building to house the remaining nuns. The only rumors that have come out about what Perry will The Guardian do with the convent are her plans of living in it.

Perhaps her next album will be a return to her gospel roots. Or perhaps the California Girl just could not pass up the stunning view of downtown Los Angeles.

The transaction still must be approved by the Vatican, which has not yet announced its decision.

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April 28, 2016

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Poets @ Pace welcomes Gary Lenhart, Eileen Myles Asia Letlow Editorial Intern

Students, professors, and poetrylovers alike convened on Monday, April 11, for the semi-annual Poets at Pace event in the Bianco Room, from 6:00-8:00PM. The event featured Eileen Myles and Gary Lenhart. Poetin-residence Charles North hosted the event. Light refreshments were provided. North has been acquainted with both Myles and Lenhart, prior to their visit to the University. He introduced them by sharing small anecdotes of their prior appearances,

National Poetry Foundation describing both as being “smart, witty, and no nonsense.” Each poet read his or her pieces for about 25 minutes.

Lenhart was the first to read his work. He was born in Ohio, and grew

up in Albany. He came to New York at the age of twenty. His most recent work, “The World in a Minute”, was published in 2010. He has been an editor for several literary publications, among them, “Mag City” and “Transfer.”

Throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, he was the associate director of Teachers and Writers Collaborative in New York City (TWC). Founded in 1967, the TWC has facilitated residencies and professional development workshops across schools in NYC. Lenhart lives in Vermont and teaches at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

Lenhart first began with pieces from his earlier collections. As per an eagers suggestion by North, he read from an older compilation of poetry, “Father and Son Night”, which was published in January 1999. Lenhart’s poetry largely centers on topics such as parenting, and relationships. His first poem, “Eugene Debs,” is about a democratic socialist candidate, Eugene V. Debs, who ran for office in the early 20th century. “The Long and Short of It” is a three-part work, each piece detailing the years 1971 to 2000. All throughout, Lenhart’s even, conversational tone kept the audience’s ears piqued. Subsequent pieces included “Fingers,” which was written after his brother succumbed to AIDS, in which he describes his suffering and physical stature as his illness progressed. “To a Skylark” details Lenhart’s fascination with nature. “It’s clear that you’re a city

boy,” he recounted someone saying, of the quality of the poem. Soon after, North introduced Myles, poised with her Bostonian accent and relaxed demeanor to introduce her latest work.

Myles grew up in Boston and is the author of nineteen books, among them various works of poetry and novels.

In addition to her literary endeavors, she is also an art journalist. Famous works by her include “Chelsea Girls,” a cult-classic autobiographical novel published in 1994, and Inferno (2010).

Her most recent work, “I Must Be Living Twice”, was published in late 2015, and is a compilation of new and selected poetry from 1975 through 2014. She has won several awards, among them a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Clark Prize for Excellence in Arts Writing, and three Lambda Book Awards. She was an artistic director of the Poetry Project in the 1980s.

Myles began by reading from her newer works, among them, “Lark” and “Failed Appointment,” which is about her mother, who is 95 years old.

“She’s dying to die,” Myles remarked, summoning audience laughter. Later, she read her older works. “Harmonica,” a blues poem, makes repeated use of words and phrases, much like the musical genre itself. Myles lamented that she was not fond of blues when she was younger, despite her inclusion of its elements in the aforementioned poem.

Audience members were entranced from the reading. “Poetry is a performing

art,” stated English professor Eugene Richie. Students of his poetry-writing workshop attended the reading as a supplement to class lessons. “When poets see how other poets read, they get a sense of how the poem works,” he said, distinguishing the difference between reading poetry and hearing it spoken aloud. He has known Myles for years, having met her when she worked as an assistant for James Skylar, also a poet.

“Poetry, particularly, gives people the sense that their lives are not meaningless.

There’s some way that poetry opens up another level of seeing,” he said.

New York Magazine

“American Idol” says goodbye Amoreena Crispino Editorial Intern After years of whimpers, “American Idol” went out with a bang.

On Tuesday April 5, the three-night finale of”American Idol” premiered and millions of viewers tuned in. Titled “American Idol: The American Dream,” the show has come to an end after 15 historic seasons. The three nights were full of previous winners and contestants, former judges, and the final three contestants of season 15. There were also exclusive behind-the-scenes videos and memories played from the past 15 years.

Some very famous “American Idol”-made stars performed one last time on stage, including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Fantasia, Jordan Sparks, David Cook, Kris Allen, Lee DeWyze, Scotty McCreery, Bo Bice, Chris Daughtry, Clay Aiken, and many more. There was even a video message from President Barack Obama about the past 15 memorable seasons. “I believe it should almost be as easy as voting on ‘American Idol,’” Obama told viewers. “Not all of us can sing like Kelly Clarkson, but all of our voices matter.”

Ryan Seacrest hosted the show for the last time, and came out with a bang. Current judge Jennifer Lopez performed a few dance numbers, while previous judges Randy Jackson, Simon Cowell, and Paula Abdul came back to be a part of this legacy. The former judges of “American Idol” shared stories of past Idol experiences and shared secrets of how “American Idol” came to be.

The last winner of “American Idol” was Trent Harmon. He performed his winning song “Falling” after being crowned the last “American Idol” ever.

Harmon mentioned that his only regret for being on

the last season of Idol is that he will not be able to return for another season to mentor all of the new contestants. Harmon had some rough patches along his Idol journey, one being his battle with mono during Hollywood Week. He was born a Mississippi farm boy, which might be the inspiration for the country direction of his upcoming debut album. Harmon auditioned for “The Voice” last year, but was unsuccessful.

Clearly, “American Idol” was the place to be.

“American Idol” has gone through many ups and downs throughout the past 15 seasons. The ratings have fluctuated, mainly because of the absence of Simon Cowell and the different types of contestants that were being brought onto the show. Dedicated fans tuned in until the very end, but some came and left after a few seasons.

Freshman, Marina Testani explains, “I used to watch the show with my family when the original judges were still on, but then we kind of just stopped one season. I can’t believe the show has run for 15 seasons and I kind of wish I stuck with it a little bit longer.”

There was controversy when all three original judges were gone and new judges, such as Nicki Minaj, Harry Connick Jr., and Jennifer Lopez, took their places. “Idol” was still the same show, but the atmosphere felt different to some, but at the end of these 15 seasons, these small changes did not seem to matter, considering how many people tuned into the finale and how many memories were shared over the last three nights.

Along with the many other

viewers of”American Idol” around the world, some students here at the University were avid watchers as well. Freshman Joey Acquaviva expressed his love for the show and says, “‘American Idol’ captivated America through finding such phenomenal talent and opened the door to music for many of the viewers and was always exciting each and every week! It was for sure one of the greatest shows on television!”

Even though one of America’s favorite television shows has come to an end, the journey and legacy will still live on for many years.

There are a few other singing competition shows still airing, but “American Idol” will be forever be the remembered as the one that started it all.

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The Forgotten Faculty and their Poison Pills Union of Adjunct Faculty to hold election amid contentious contract negotiations sarah hartzell Arts Editor When Pace University opened in 1906 it had two professors and 13 students in one room of what would become One Pace Plaza. Now, it has over 12,000 students and almost 2,000 instructors.

Higher education in the United States has changed dramatically over the last 110 years, even in the last few decades. Rising tuition costs and a competitive job market have made colleges and universities resemble businesses where students are customers and their education is a commodity. Academia itself has become a piece of the complicated puzzle that is the structure and finances of higher education institutions.

The most recent complication to this delicate system is the role that adjunct professors play at universities. These part-time professors or “contingent labor”—the same term used at temp agencies— comprise a growing portion of professors at two-year and four-year colleges alike. Since 2011, more than half of all college instructors nationwide are part-time, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. College Factual estimates that Pace University is comprised of 64 percent part-time faculty, where the national average is 51 percent.

Students may or may not be aware that they are being taught by an adjunct, but the reality is that adjuncts are at the forefront of the conversation about the state of higher education in America.

The Union of Adjunct Faculty at Pace (UAFP) represents approximately 900 adjunct professors on the New York City and Pleasantville campuses.

Formed in 2004, UAFP’s mission is to “advance and secure the professional and economic interests of the adjunct faculty at Pace University.” Through collective bargaining, UAFP has worked to improve working conditions and provide a voice for part-time faculty at the University. The union won its first collective bargaining agreement in 2009—a full five years after unionizing—and have since assured health insurance assistance and grievance procedures for adjuncts. (Insurance reimbursements have since been halted due to legalities of the Affordable Care Act.) Dr. Claudia Mausner, adjunct professor of Environmental Studies, is running for vice president of UAFP in its upcoming election. She has taught at the University for the last decade and has developed interdisciplinary courses in sustainable living, attended numerous educational workshops and conferences, and taken part in the Presidential Search Forum.

Her main priorities for UAFP include job security and paid training and professional development.

“If you’re going to have adjuncts, have them be as qualified as possible,” she argues. Any training in technologies like Blackboard or other educational opportunities like writing-enhanced course workshops must be done without pay on the adjunct’s own time—time that may be applied to another, paying job. It is also difficult to justify putting such effort into training for a job that is not reasonably secure. Currently, adjuncts can be out of a job with little to no notice; the contract negotiated

by UAFP and the University says, “Appointments carry no guaranteed course or credit load and there is no presumption of reappointment thereafter,” and, “Notification of non-reappointment or nonreassignment shall be given… as soon as practicable.”

Ultimately, these constraints harm everyone involved: the adjuncts, the students they teach, and the University and its reputation. While adjuncts may be just as qualified as their full-time colleagues— adjuncts are required to have a master’s degree and many have doctorates—the decreased pay and

benefits require some adjuncts to teach at other colleges or work at jobs in their field to make ends meet. Based on the most recent collective bargaining agreement, adjuncts are paid by the credit up to nine credits, though UAFP is working to increase this limit to account for lab courses, which typically count for more credits. The rate per credit, depending on the adjunct’s years of service, is a minimum of $850 to $1200 per credit, or $2,550 to $3,600 for a threecredit course. This amounts to $32,400 a year for a full nine-credit course load for three semesters. The average salary of assistant professors at the University is $70,417. Adjuncts also do not receive benefits like health insurance, disability insurance, or retirement plans, like full-time faculty do. They are essentially hourly employees, where the hours are course credits.

The problem with this logic is that there is a great deal of work put into teaching a college course that is not conducted “on the clock,” that is to say during class time. Grading papers, preparing a curriculum, conducting research, attending conferences, and training in new technologies are not part of an adjunct’s pay. For some, like Mausner, these endeavors are worth the personal expense— both of money and time—out of a love for the work and to become a better instructor. But those who must work other jobs in addition to teaching at the University often do not have the extra time or money to spend on these professional development opportunities. Full-time faculty do not face this problem; their annual salary is fixed, irrespective of how much or how little additional time they put in.

In order to attract and retain the most qualified instructors, universities must make their offer competitive with or better than offers from other employers. With nearly half of all adjuncts working another full-time job, and one in five adjuncts working two or more other jobs in addition to teaching, this simply is not happening. Aside from the more moral issue of more than half of all parttime faculty earning less than $35,000 a year, this subpar pay does not encourage the most qualified candidates to continue teaching, especially without any job security. Mausner feels that it is an ideal position for retirees, who do not rely on the job for a full income but love doing the job. But according to the American Association of University Professors, only 14 percent of adjuncts are retired and 48 percent of those who are not retired have dependent children.

Additionally, because adjuncts are not spending as much time on campus, they cannot hold office hours or have what Mausner calls “informal time” with students, that is the time before and after class or chance meetings around campus that allow students to build a rapport with their professors outside of the classroom. These personal connections make for a better learning experience, but are especially important for students seeking recommendations for jobs and graduate school or hoping to network with a professional in their field. A report from the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles even suggests that as the proportions of non-tenure track faculty increase, graduation rates decline.

The value of a college degree is also largely based on the reputation of the college, which is built on a number of factors, including the contributions of the graduates and of the faculty. Published research and peer reviewing are part of the contribution that professors make to their university’s reputation.

However, adjunct professors often do not have the opportunity to participate in these aspects of academia. While adjuncts can work (without pay) on research teams, the principal investigator on a research project must be a full-time faculty member.

Even so, the lower salaries that adjuncts receive make

it difficult to pay for travel to academic conferences out of pocket, as well as decrease the amount of time that can be dedicated to research.

“When you are on the tenure-track, research is a major part of the job, and the most important factor for tenure,” says Dr. Eddis Miller, professor of philosophy and religious studies, who was an adjunct at the University for three years before becoming a full-time professor. “So there is a sense that time for research has to be protected when it comes to assistant professors. This is obviously not the case for adjunct faculty.”

Even students who wish to participate in research have a harder time doing so because finding someone at the University to sustain the project after their graduation can be difficult as adjuncts cannot be sure that they will be returning to the University for any given semester. With the rise in part-time faculty there are simply fewer full-time professors to tend to these projects. By limiting the

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April 28, 2016 continued from PAGE 12 opportunities for faculty and students to actively participate in their field, the University’s name does not gain prestige and students do not gain practical experience, which is essential for graduates to be successful, as well as in attracting the most qualified faculty and incoming students.

These complications are only the beginning of a long journey for adjuncts: their most recent contract with the University expired on June 30, 2015, and an agreement has not yet been reached for a new contract. After months of failed negotiations, UAFP sent an open letter to President Friedman and the Board of Trustees in January, expressing their frustration and disappointment with the lack of cooperation from the University in the negotiating process.

The letter was signed by 185 University faculty members.

“Our union presented a number of fair and reasonable proposals that would serve to attract and retain the very best teachers and, in turn, would attract and retain the very best students,” UAFP wrote in the letter. “Given our mutual interest in making Pace the best it can be, we expected that the parties would reach agreement on a new contract in just a few months’ time. We expected that Pace’s bargaining team would see the merit of our proposals and work to reach agreement with us as quickly as possible. We sure were wrong about that!”

The letter mentions proposals made by UAFP that negotiators on the behalf of the University called “poison pills”— proposals that they felt were unreasonable for the University to grant. Mausner and UAFP call these proposals a “win-win,” meaning they benefit everyone involved, including the University, adjuncts, and students, but the University said it would be “very, very difficult to convince us of the merits of these proposals – that they’re good for us.” These proposals include a three percent pay increase in lieu of the current merit and evaluation system, guaranteed reappointment after eight consecutive semesters, paid office hours, and paid sick leave in accordance with New York City’s recently passed Sick Leave Law. Dr. Daniel Rosen, an adjunct professor of psychology who is also running for vice president of UAFP, wrote

in his candidacy statement, “For the past year plus, the management of the college, in my opinion, has not been negotiating in good faith. Every proposal put forth by the Union has been summarily dismissed by the University.”

“There is always tension between the union and the institution,” says Mausner. “[But] ultimately, the goal for everyone is to meet the needs of the students.”

Upon hearing about the grievances of UAFP, University junior Eleni Gast wrote a letter to President Friedman in support of the adjuncts. “I am sure the adjunct staff have sent you and the Pace Board a list of their grievances, and I would like to strongly urge you to comply, and give your faculty what they need,” she wrote. “I know that these professors have helped to mold the young, productive citizen I am becoming, and I would hope that the university that has been treated me so well will also treat my instructors well.”

Unfortunately, Gast’s letter was not as well-received by the president as it was by the union. “I did in fact get a response from President Friedman, but it was more of a brush-off,” she says. “Basically it said things like, ‘We’re doing everything we can. We’re going to continue to negotiate with adjuncts.’ Not really helpful.”

President Friedman did not respond to request for comment. Dr. Adelia Williams, associate provost for academic affairs, said, “The Union of Adjunct Faculty of Pace and Pace University are in active negotiations at this time. We expect that a mutually agreeable resolution will be completed.” She further noted, “Pace University respects and appreciates the work of our adjunct faculty, and recognizes the important contributions they make to our institution and to our students. The University, and specifically the Provost’s Office, demonstrate this appreciation through a robust recognition program, awards and considerable opportunities and support for faculty development.

A Pace University education provides outstanding preparation for careers and graduate or professional school. Pace University graduates have among the highest employment rates and starting salaries in the nation.”

Like in other industries, higher education institutions are using part-time labor to minimize costs associated with

www.thepacepress.org 13 pay raises and benefits that full-time workers require. But also like other part-time workers, adjuncts do not dream of working part-time jobs. “It can be a stepping stone, but it’s not a career goal,” says Mausner. However, many of these stepping stones do not lead anywhere. While the number of doctorate degrees awarded in the United States has been increasing over recent years, the number of positions at universities for doctorate recipients has not shown any change. With the rise in adjunct positions, recent graduates who may have hoped for a tenure-track professorship are forced to take what is available to them, which may or may not offer opportunity for promotion.

“Obviously, life changes entirely when you become a full-time professor,” says Miller. “The increased pay, benefits, and job-security are obviously key factors, but there are others. When you are a full-time member of a department, you feel invested in the department and indeed the university in a way that is often difficult to feel when you are an adjunct. This isn’t really surprising, because the university has invested in its full-time faculty.”

Even if a full-time position does open up, the larger proportion of adjuncts means the competition for the spot is much stiffer. Being a familiar face in the department certainly gives adjuncts an edge in the hiring process, but adjuncts can put in years of service to the University and never receive a full-time position for various reasons. The arduous process of earning undergraduate, graduate, and potentially doctorate degrees is not one that a person undertakes with the hope of becoming an adjunct. In most fields, they do so to earn a secure fulltime tenure track position with livable salary and benefits, research opportunities, and a community of peers.

With the money saved by employing parttime instructors, coupled with the continual tuition increases, the question that every University student has heard or asked a hundred times once again comes to mind: Where does all of our money go? The answer to this question is not a simple one, if it can even truly be answered. But through the continued efforts of student activists and organizations like UAFP, hopefully one day we can rest assured that our money is going where it really matters: towards our education.

Disney star Debby Ryan gets DUI Anna Yesilevskiy Staff Writer Many prior Disney stars have had a stereotypical reputation of “going bad” and former Disney channel star, Debby Ryan, who starred in the television series, The Suite Life on Deck, which was a spinoff of the series, Suite Life of Zack and Cody and later on her own television show, Jessie fits this role quite well as she was recently arrested for driving under the influence.

A few weeks ago, the twentytwo year old actress was driving in Los Angeles, near La Brea Avenue and Third Street when she crashed into a Mercedes Benz. She was then given a field sobriety test, which she failed and following that, she was arrested for driving under the influence.

Since Ryan’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.11 percent, which was only a bit higher than the required blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent to not be arrested for a DUI, and because the victim sustained minor injuries, charges against her were minimalized. She was charged with two offenses, which included driving under the influence and driving with a blood alcohol

level at or above 0.08. Furthermore, she had to pay a $100,000 bail.

Following her arrest, the former Disney actress apologized on Twitter for her actions. She stated, “Over the last few days, I have had the chance to think about my actions, and I wish I had used better judgment. I recognize that I am a role model and have always worked hard to set a good example for my millions of fans. I am so sorry to disappoint everyone.”

After Ryan posted her apology on Twitter, many of her fans were quick to forgive and said that they understand that she made a mistake and that she feels awful about it. For example, one fan said, “You are a human being, you make mistakes and you’re learning from them. We love you so much, you are not less a role model than before.”

However, not everyone was quick to forgive Debby Ryan and her actions.

One fan said, “I am not gonna condone anything you did like these sheep.

People die regularly from drinking and driving. Pull your shit together.”

In addition to Ryan’s apology and her fan’s responses on Twitter, another Disney actress, Alyson Stoner, who worked with Ryan on the “We Got the Beat” music video, came to

Ryan’s defense following Ryan’s arrest.

Stoner said, “We all in the industry have a different amount of spotlight on us during different points of our lives. It could have been anyone.”

University student Krystal Juarez commented on Debby Ryan getting arrested and said, “I didn’t find it surprising. Stories like these are always on the news.” Also, when she was asked if she thinks that Ryan’s actions and arrest fits the “Disney actors gone bad” stereotype, she said, “Yes, you hear about it often enough that it creates a bad reputation for Disney.”

Another student, senior Kseniya Arekhava also commented on Ryan’s arrest. Arekhava said, “I think that she is a terrible example for young people and should not be part of Disney anymore.”

Furthermore, Arekhava stated that she does not think that there is necessarily such a thing as a “Disney actors gone bad” stereotype.

She added on, “Almost every actor who was on Disney but

then grew up, started to do a lot of illegal things. They are just famous, that’s why people know what they are doing. There are many regular people in the same age range doing the same things but we don’t know about them.”

The former Disney actress, Debby Ryan will have to appear in court on May 2 for arraignment.

Just Jared

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Student Spotlight: Joseph Pidoriano Nicole fleetwood Staff Writer Establishing a career as a playwright and an author of two successfully published novels seems to be the accomplishment of someone well into adulthood, but this is the success of 18-year-old University freshman Joseph Salvatore Pidoriano, a business management major with the hope of becoming an entrepreneur and building a career in politics all the way to the White House. Pidoriano has a challenge that distinguishes him from the rest: he has Asperger’s Syndrome, a disorder considered to be on the “high functioning” end of the autism spectrum. Due to his condition, Pidoriano’s thinking process is far more advanced than average, and his vocabulary is impeccable. On the downside, individuals like him experience difficulty with social interaction. He said, “It is an extraordinary advancement, but at the same time, a setback.

Without my Asperger’s, I would not be able to write this book, but I would have a lot of real friends. With the Asperger’s, I wrote my book, but I have few real friends.” Pidoriano has written five books in total, two having been published; “The Dimension Travel: A Three Part Science Fiction and Fantasy Novel” and “The Story Continues from The Original Dimension Travel Trilogy: Dimension Travel IV.” Both books were written while he was in high

school; the first book was written in his sophomore year and completed in the beginning of his junior year. “I would come home do my homework for 2-3 hours then straight to working on my book,” he said, regarding how he juggled school and writing his book. Originally, Pidoriano worked on producing a movie. In 2012 he attempted to make an animated film and then a Claymation film about a couple lost in the Pacific. However, he decided he could not really create a professional film at that moment. “So, I asked myself, what makes films?

Screenplays! So I wrote a screenplay, but I did not like the storyline, so I placed it under my piano bench,” he said. His original book, “Dimension Travel Trilogy,” is about two friends, Iron Steel and Tom Jackson, who become trapped in a Blank Dimension after Pidoriano himself steals the device that can bring them back to Earth. The entire novel revolves around the adventures of Iron Steel and Tom Jackson battling adversaries and finding their way home. Of his inspiration for the first book, he said, “For six months I received inspiration from dreams about visiting a Gothic style castle in an alien city with giant bugs, mushrooms and a golden palace.” He copyrighted all three parts of his book in July 2014. He published these parts and produced a novel on Oct 13, 2015. Six months later, he published Dimension Travel part IV, the continuation of the Dimension Travel saga. Pidoriano cites Walt Disney as

his literary influence. He stated, “I love his theme parks.

He was very creative and I admire his extraordinary business mindset. He was a very fortunate individual.”

In the future, he aspires to build his own theme park similar to Walt Disney’s with a shopping mall attached to become the biggest shopping mall in America.

Currently, both of his books are on Amazon, available in Kindle and paperback format.

Superfans unite at university-hosted Qirin Con jessica kovac Editorial Intern

Qirin Con, a “mini-mini” comic con, as one attendee explained, is an annual anime, cosplay, and gaming festival run entirely by Pace University students. From 11:00 AM-5:00 PM, a series of shows, panels, and vendors took over the west wing on the sixth floor. ACE House, otherwise known as Asian American Culture Enthusiasts’ House organizes the Qirin Con Event. In addition to running Qirin Con, the club connects Pace students with Asian American communities in New York City through cultural events and volunteering opportunities; including those that explore LGBTQ identities and experiences. The event was run with the help of the Office of the Dean of Students, the Seidenberg School, the OASIS program, and the Syndicate of Fanology.The event began with a cosplay runway. Cosplay, another term for costume play is a performance art where participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Diane Devara led a sewing class that taught a group how to make an Onigiri Plush. She was dressed as Keo from the Kid Jojo. When asked about her inspiration for the look she said, “We basically have the same personality, so why not?” The excitement continued throughout the day. From 12:00 PM-1:00 PM, panels up and down the hall were taking place on topics ranging from Indian Comics and women in the video game industry. Next to check-in, a room was open for attendees to grab a snack and some anime swag. One vendor performed a demonstration on how

to make matcha. At 1:00 PM, a Jedi Stage Combat Demonstration began.

Actors and actresses passionate about the ways of the Force presented a show on lightsaber choreography. A jedi partnered with Star Wars enthusiasts to model different methods of combat. After an impressive fight, one actor took a moment to point out this was “play fighting.” During performances, they were always careful not to hurt one another and always looked out for another. The actors pointed to the children in the audience at this point, telling them that this is important to remember if you are passionate about lightsaber fighting.There was also a gaming room that was active throughout the day.

Computers, video consoles and television sets were set up around the room. Individuals were constantly coming in and out; taking their turn at MarioKart and Final Fantasy.

Competitions were held throughout the day.

A scoreboard was hung in the center of the room to track wins and losses. To end this day of fun, The Triforce Quartet performed: a traditional string quarter that plays video game music from popular games such as Mario, Zelda and Final Fantasy. One day in early 2007, they played a short Zelda medley for an encore of a recital, and the video of this nontraditional form of music went viral later that summer. Since then, the group has continued performing in front of sold out shows at PAXPrime in Seattle, MAGFest in Washington DC, and now at QirinCon. This day marked another opportunity for students that enjoy anime to bond over a shared love.

Whether it be over a presentation, panel or meeting a fellow cosplay-er, Qirin-Con has something for everyone.

April 28, 2016

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