April15

April 15, 2015

Est. 1948

Volume 67 | Issue 10

the pace press

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COURTNEY MICHELLE JOHNSON Features Editor On Apr. 9, Apple released its iOS 8.3 update that has famously included over 300 new emojis. Emojis are the digital images that users can access through the emoji keyboard available on iPhones, Macs and iPads. These emojis have stirred up a lot of controversy since their release, because the emojis are now available in six new skin tones.

The new set of emojis represents Caucasian, Asian and Indian ethnicities while leaving out African Americans. This differs from the usual standard yellow tone the emojis had, which represented a generic nonhuman image.

The Unicode Consortium, the organization that builds the coding background work for the emojis across platforms, announced in Nov. 2014 that they were planning on having a more diverse set of emojis in 2015 rather than the standard yellow that they had first created in the early 90’s. Apple had previously released a statement, saying, “We are currently working with the consortium to update the standard so that it better represents the diversity of all of us.”

While some have resisted Apple’s attempt to digitally diversify, others have embraced it and are asking for more. Mashable reports that a petition was created for Apple to add redheaded emojis.

According to Forbes, the new skin tones are based off of the Fitzpatrick Classification scale, a scale of how one’s skin reacts to UV rays.

As with any timely news, social media marketing bluffs are bound to occur; this time it was Clorox who dropped the ball, tweeting “New emojis are alright, but where’s the bleach,” in response to Apple’s update. According to the New York Daily News, Clorox has since removed the tweet and issued an apology stating that they intended to comment on the lack of a literal bleach bottle emoji among the new household items that Apple introduced.

Apple also added more diverse emoji’s to include same sex relationships and families with two mothers or two fathers. The iPhone 6 and Apple watch will also be available as emojis and this diverse new breed of emojis will be added to the new version of Mac’s operating system as well.

INSIDE @thepacepress

NEWS

ARTS

FEATURES

Iran and United States work on diplomacy

Computer technology brings actor back to life

Review: Cherry at the Dream Hotel

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NEWS

April 27, 2012

Washington shuts down after suicide MAXIMILLIANO ONOFRE News Editor On Saturday, April 11, there was an unforeseen threat outside the U.S. Capitol building after a man committed suicide right outside. The incident took place around 1PM, and the man did not have any identification on his person. The suicide attempt caused the building to go into immediate lockdown, holding politicians and tourists inside. The sound of the fire from the man’s singular bullet alerted security and created confusion as news sources tried to find out what had happened.

The unidentified man only had a backpack and a roller case with him, which was treated as a suspicious package, and handled by bomb technicians, as the containers were thought to be threats.

The suicide attempt was not unintentionally done in public, however, as many witnesses stated seeing the man with a sign. Though the words on the sign have not been revealed, the witnesses mention that the sign mentioned taxation, while others specify that it had to do with social justice in regards to taxing the “1%.”

Before reopening, Kim Dine, U.S. Capitol Police Chief, said, “there seems to be no nexus to terrorism or anything related to that.” However, only the East Front of the Capitol was reopened, and the remaining West Terrace continues to stay closed until further notice as they continue their investigation.

While no one other than the suicidal man was harmed throughout the incident in Washington, the incident did raise alarm in the minds of the public. People took to Twitter, Facebook and other forms of social media to express their concerns.

Nevertheless, students at the University felt like this was not enough, as many agreed with the statement of Ariel Ottey, sophomore, “It’s concerning that we don’t place that big of a concern at times with people who are inside the country. We fear all the outsiders but inside our own country, we have to understand that many things are not right and that we’re creating a lot of damaging ideas.”

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Iran and United States work on diplomacy KOBE Y. JACOBS Staff Writer Iran has been officially considered by the U.S. government a state sponsor of terrorism since 1984, for funding Shia Islamists in the Middle East, and has used overtly hostile rhetoric in regard to the closest U.S. ally in the region, Israel. Meanwhile, they have been aggressively enhancing their nuclear enrichment program and are thought to be pursuing a nuclear bomb––something Barack Obama has long vowed he would not let them achieve.

The Obama administration has pursued the path of diplomacy in order to meet the challenge of stopping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Negotiations began when Iran––whose economy was crippled by sanctions from the U.S. and other Western nations––agreed to a interim agreement in Nov. of 2013. It was a six month agreement which temporarily scaled back the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for $7 billion in sanctions relief during the negotiations. The deal, set to last sixmonths, followed the election of a more moderate Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, and the first exchange between the nations’ leaders since the Iranian revolution of 1979.

Once at the negotiating table, the two sides remained distant. Iran insisted they retain the right to enrich uranium, claiming––as it still does––it only wanted to do so for the purposes of energy production. The friction between the two sides led to two subsequent six-month extensions of the negotiations in May and Nov. of 2014, respectively.

This left the new deadline for a broad agreement in March 2015, with the details to be filled in by the beginning of July.

As the March 31st deadline approached, however, Iranian negotiators used the dwindling clock to pressure

Secretary of State John Kerry and U.S. negotiators to make last minute concessions. Either the U.S. negotiators would leave Lausanne, Switzerland empty handed, or they would lose credibility by breaching their self-imposed deadline. When faced with this decision just hours before the midnight deadline, President Obama instructed Kerry to ignore the deadline and proceed with negotiations.

He added that in order to regain leverage Kerry should remind Iranian negotiators that the U.S. was ready to walk away at any moment and leave the sanctions in place. As the negotiations pressed into overtime, the two sides finally announced a broad agreement on April 2nd.

The agreement, as explained by Obama the same day, was hailed as “a historic understanding with Iran, which if fully implemented, would prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon.” There are three central provisions: 1) Iran would be forced to abandon two thirds of its current uranium-enriching centrifuges, 2) it would not be able to enrich plutonium or weapons-grade uranium, central components of a nuclear weapon, and 3) it will allow international weapons inspectors into the country to ensure that it does not break the agreement. The various arrangements last 10-20 years, and presumably, they meet the administration’s goal of limiting Iran to a one-year breakout time, should Iran break the agreement. In exchange, international sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program will be lifted, contingent upon their continued compliance.

Though promising, the framework agreed to on April 2nd still has many obstacles to pass before the final deal is negotiated in June. First, Obama has to deal with domestic pressures from Congressional Republicans, who have made their hostility a deal very clear. There is currently a bill to require Congressional review of any agreement

that is reached. This bill has even garnered some support from Democrats. Should such a bill muster enough votes to overcome Obama’s veto, the agreement could be at peril in the Republican led Senate. Additionally, Obama faces opposition from recently reelected Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he has had in infamously strained relationship. Netanyahu fears that the deal will speed up Iran’s path to the bomb and believes the international community should “stand firm and ratchet up the pressure,” until it gets a better deal. He believes that any deal which leaves a nuclear infrastructure in place and does not require Iran to stop sponsoring terrorism in the region is a bad deal. Obama has insisted that the U.S. relationship with Israel not become politicized, but risks alienating Jewish supporters, who have traditionally supported Democrats, by continually butting heads with Netanyahu. Finally, in the days since the framework was agreed to, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has used more hardline rhetoric regarding the pace at which sanctions are removed. There have also been differences as to what exactly the agreed upon framework requires.

These are issues the Obama Administration hopes to work out before the June 30th deadline for a final agreement. Despite these numerous obstacles, Obama remains cautiously optimistic. He defuses critics arguments by insisting that having oversight capabilities and ensuring a one-year breakout time is preferable to being kept in the dark. He adds that even if Iran were to violate the deal’s provisions, international sanctions could be reapplied quickly and there would be ample time to deal with the threat. Should the deal be held together, it would be a cornerstone of Obama’s foreign policy legacy after he leaves office in Jan. 2017.

April 27, 2012

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April 27, 2012

NEWS

Probation officers to beomce replaced by kiosks Sodexo Justice Services new movement may mean less jobs.

theguardian.com The new kiosks Sodexo plans to implement will allow offenders on probation to check in and not go to a probation officer.

MAXIMILLIANO ONOFRE News Editor

In the next year, the largest provider of private privation officers in the United Kingdom will begin to implement a new plan that will allow offenders who are on probation to check in with a kiosk, in a manner similar to that of ATM, as they hope to cut costs for the companies.

Sodexo Justice Services runs six of the 21 privatized community rehabilitation companies in England and Whales, and hopes that the introduction of the kiosks will help with their costs. They have warned their staff to expect the jobs to be cut by more than thirty percent, which would be around 700 jobs, within the next year.

With the United Kingdom vying for an option like this, it seems as though this could soon become a widespread change. Of course, there’s public debate over whether this is an acceptable form of “checking up” on the individuals who have been granted the minor consequence of parole supervision, but this change

has been given a seal of approval because it allows the individuals a chance to prove that they are doing well.

This also ensures that the parole supervision is honest, as many times, there are photos posted online where parole officers, smoke, drink, or do not thoroughly look after their supervised individuals. This new system is run by checking the parolee’s “biometric reports”, which will use fingerprint recognition technology to check the identity, allowing the parole to report in, give and receive information, and if they would like, request a face-to-face meeting with an officer.

There are many opinions to the consequences like that of Rebecca Cuebas, Junior, who stresses that, “there could be so many negative effects from this situation. I mean, sure, these people have to earn the right to be monitored by the machine and not have an officer come and check on them, but in the end, the machine is limited. It can analyze the people who are ‘being good’ but it cannot enter the person’s home. It cannot see if the person

is hiding something. It cannot follow the parolee if it suspects something.”

Cuebas is not alone in her sentiments,

The use of call centers and machines instead of highly skilled staff is downright dangerous and will put the public at risk.

-Ian Lawrence,

General secretary of Napo as Ian Lawrence, the general secretary of Napo, the probation union, feels like this could not only hurt the workforce, but the public at large.

“When we met with Sodexo earlier this year they told us there would be

no reductions in workforce. The use of call centers and machines instead of highly skilled staff is downright dangerous and will put the public at risk.”

Although the new system is set to warn officers of suspicious activity, in order to not saturate the already strained parole staff with more work, it’s effectiveness is questioned by the public because it will allow the offenders to be more free, and create a job insecurity at these companies.

Sodexo currently has the largest number of probation contracts in England and Wales, since the privatization of probation officers, supervising around 150,000 medium and low-risk offenders a year so a change like this means big changes for the United Kingdom.

Although a Sodexo Justice Services spokesperson has stated that they “are in the process of sharing [their] future plans with employees across the six CRCs that [they] operate,” they refuse to comment any further on weather they will be cutting the labor force in order to institute this new method of probation.

April 27, 2012

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April 27, 2012

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ARTS

April 27, 2012

“Empire’s” Taraji P. Henson hosts SNL

ew.com TRACI-ANN THOMAS Editorial Intern The Queen of ‘Empire Records’ took a South Central spin on Game of Thrones, along with other characters on the April 11th taping of Saturday Night Live. The Academy nominated actress capitalized on her breakout role on the Fox hit show “Empire”, bringing a level of attitude and volume that only Henson could bring.

From doing her best Nicki Minaj impression for a parody of the sequel to Dreamworks ‘ “ Home”, to out-twerking her daughter (played by Shasheer Zamata) for YouTube views, it was very clear that Henson chose sketches that reminded the audience of the kind of energy she brings to the role that made her a TV star.

She even visited Cookie Monster and the residents of Sesame Street in her now-infamous character, Cookie Lyon, taking over the show in an “Empire”-esque fashion. The program also included performances from Mumford and Sons, playing songs from their new album, “Wilder Mind”.

Henson’s appearance marks another one of the few AfricanAmerican female hosts that Saturday Night Live has seen in the last several years. “Scandal” actress, Kerry Washington hosted the show last season; amidst a period when the show was receiving heavy backlash on the lack of black female cast members.

SNL took advantage of their hostess and the media buzz they were circulating in the opening sketch, by using her to play several different black female characters; a sketch that was applauded for its satire, but increased the backlash.

After Washington’s appearance, the studio immediately called for auditions and resulted in Zamata’s employment; and Leslie Jones shortly after. Like several other alumni, Jones started off as a writer for the show. Making guest appearances from time to time, specifically her 2013 stint on the Weekend Update segment (which received acclaim and controversy), the SNL studio decided to make Jones a repertory player.

It took a whole year for the show to find another POC hostess to fit the bill again; and Henson did not disappoint. It is becoming clear that the show tries to wait for breakout black female stars to ask them to host.

They even try to make their own; Jones has already been cast in the all-female Ghosbusters movie, along with fellow castmate Kate McKinnon. With this kind of turnover in diversity, hopefully the writers can develop more fresh, funny characters and sketches that highlight every SNL cast member.

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April 27, 2012

Our favorite books hit the silver screen

thehungergames.wikia.com ANNA YESILEVSKIY Contributor Films based on novels have always been popular but that trend is even more popular now, as it is evident that the production of these films has increased drastically over the last few years. A few of last year’s greatest book-to-movie adaptations include “The Giver,” “The Fault in Our Stars,” “Gone Girl,” and “The Maze Runner.” This year has already started off with many compelling book to movie adaptations such as “American Sniper,” “The Duff” and “Insurgent.” More movies are to come out this year including “Serena,” “The Longest Ride,” “Mockingjay: Part 2” and “Paper Towns.”

“Insurgent,” the sequel to last year’s dystopian science fiction film, “Divergent,” was released this month. The film follows Beatrice Prior and her fight against a powerful alliance that threatens the society she lives in. Junior Rebecca Sloan, a fan of the book series said that she is really

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looking forward to watching this movie.

“Insurgent,” however, is not the only dystopian book to movie film adaptation coming out this year. Fans of “The Maze Runner” will be delighted that its sequel, “The Scorch Trials” is going to be released during the fall of 2015. The movie will pick up where “The Maze Runner” left off and will have the characters face many new obstacles.

Dystopian and post-apocalyptic films are especially popular now, as the wellknown dystopian Hunger Games series will have its next and final movie released in November of this year. “Mockingjay: Part 2” will pick up where the first part left off and will include the conclusion of the rebellion, the war and the ultimate end.

Sophomore Caitlin Berkey said that she is looking forward to “Mockingjay: Part 2” and believes it will do well.

These are not the only movies based on books that will be out this year. Fans of 2012’s “Silver Linings Playbook” will also be delighted as “Serena,” a histori-

cal drama will feature Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, out in theaters this month. This book turned movie will follow the story of George Pemberton, his Lady Macbeth-esque wife Serena and the shocking things one would do to rise to power.

Another novel of well known American novelist Nicholas Sparks has been turned into a movie and will be out in theaters this spring. “The Longest Ride” will feature a story of two couples, one in the past and one in the present, whose lives are intertwined.

After last summer’s adaptation of his novel, “The Fault in Our Stars” another one of John Green’s novel will be out in theaters this summer. “Paper Towns” will follow the road trip of revenge planned by Margo who asks her next-door neighbor, Quentin for his help. However, after the night ends, Margo disappears only to leave clues for Quentin to pick up on and help him solve the mystery of her disappearance. Freshman Courtney Friedman said that she is looking forward to this movie,

as she believes, “John Green is one of our generation’s most well known authors as he wrote both ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ and ‘Looking for Alaska.’ Being that he wrote the book ‘Paper Towns’ that is inspiring, I can’t help but be excited to see it.”

Friedman also said that she is also looking forward to the 2015 movie adaptation of “Frankenstein” because “not only is the book a household name but it is also starring Daniel Radcliffe.”

The movies previously mentioned are not the only book to movie adaptations that will be out this year, as many more will be released. Such include the film, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” which will be out in the summer and is based upon a book that tells the story of a friendship between two teenage boys and a girl dying of cancer and “Peter Pan,” which will be based on the book “The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up,” which is a prequel to Peter Pan. Fans of book to movie adaptations can look forward to many other films in addition to these.

Justin Bieber’s roast is a hit TRACI ANN THOMAS Editorial Intern No longer famous for being the reigning king of YouTube views for his music videos, Justin Bieber has taken the last three years to build a different kind of reputation. Since going on a 3 year hiatus of releasing new music, the 21-year-old star has had a string of backlashes from the general public for his arrests, acts of vandalism, his on-and-off relationship with Selena Gomez and even making his bodyguards carry him up the Great Wall of China. But in late January, Bieber announced that he was negotiating with Comedy Central to produce a roast in honor of his 21st birthday in early March. By mid-February, the television company released a promotional video, consisting of a shirtless Bieber being pegged with eggs; a nod to last January when he was charged for egging his neighbors’ house.

The roast premiered on March 30 on Comedy Central. Following tradition, Bieber had the power to choose his panel of celebrities and comedians to have the honor of roasting him and each other. The panel included “Baby” collaborator Ludacris, along with Snoop Dogg and Shaquille O’Neal. Roast alum Jeff Ross returned, and was joined by Chris D’Elia, young Saturday Night Live newcomer Pete Davidson and Hannibal Buress. Buress has been rising in notoriety, in particular for his standup routine that brought Bill Cosby under fire again for accusations of rape and have led to many women speaking out as victims of Cosby’s actions. One of the most out-of-the-blue guests of the roast panel was Martha Stewart, who was surprisingly an audience

favorite; her rules on surviving in jail gained her acclaim on social media, and the YouTube clip of her roast already has gained a million views since its release last week.

The long-awaited event was hosted by actor and funnyman Kevin Hart. It was a fitting time for Hart to receive this hosting gig, as his latest film, “Get Hard,” premiered the weekend prior to the roast’s airing. Even Hart’s “Get Hard” costar Will Ferrell made a surprise appearance towards the end of the show dressed as the infamous Ron Burgundy. The Roast Master welcomed the man of the hour to the stage with a gospel choir, as Bieber descended gracefully from the ceiling with a pair of large angel wings – until he suddenly plummeted to the ground. But it was all a part of the entrance, as Bieber recovered with a smile on his face, ready to get roasted.

No one held back on Justin Bieber. In the words of the Roast Master: “Tonight we’re going to do what his parents and the legal system should have done a long time ago…we’re about to give this boy the ass-whooping he deserves.” Bieber was not spared from having his criminal and romantic record fanned out for everyone to remember. Audience members and viewers were also reminded of OG Mally, the pet monkey Bieber had confiscated in Germany, or the time Bieber went to the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam and wrote in the book about how he hoped she would have been a Bielieber.

Even the controversial video of a teen Bieber singing a parody of one of his earlier songs, “One Less Lonely Girl,” which had racial slurs included. But Justin took it all in stride, and tried to keep a smile of his face as Jeff Ross crowned him “the King Joffery of Pop.”

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April 27, 2012

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Computer technology brings Paul Walker to life

Cast of furious 7

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SARAH HARTZELL Editorial Intern Surprising to no one, the latest installment of the “Fast and Furious” franchise, “Furious 7,” shattered box office records by bringing in over $392 million worldwide in its opening weekend. The franchise is known for raking in the cash, but it is not usually regarded for its quality. Until “Furious 7,” that is, which has people talking for its handling of the death of star Paul Walker, who was killed in a car crash while on a break from filming in Nov. 2013.

Almost a year and a half later, fans were curious to see how the blockbuster would approach Walker’s role, and they were not disappointed.

Walker’s likeness was re-created using computer-generated imagery and his brother, Scott Walker, who served as a stand-in as well.

While the technology used in “Furious 7” is certainly significant in the context of bringing a beloved star to a beloved series, it is not without precedent. The same CGI techniques were used to create a Brad Pitt that aged backwards in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” And when legendary actor Oliver Reed passed away during the filming of “Gladiator,” his face was superimposed onto a body double and animated using CGI. Even Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney and Louis Armstrong were digitally recreated for a Diet Coke commercial back in 1992.

Critics and fans of the “Furious” films are generally in agreement that Walker’s recreation was done tastefully and respectfully, but the film industry is facing more significant issues regarding posthumous use of actors’ likenesses. Studios have begun to take digital scans, like those used to produce Walker’s and Reed’s images, before filming even begins for safety and archival purposes. This of course raises issues regarding the privacy of actors and the potential exploitation of their likeness, posthumously or in life. Some actors, such as Robin Williams, took precautions to avoid such issues by restricting the use of his likeness until 25 years after his death.

So while it is possible for actors to leave behind a body of work that will continue to be used after their death, it is a complex legal and ethical issue that Hollywood is still struggling to address.

Similar questions were raised after the tragic death of Philip Seymour Hoffman last February during the shooting of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.” Director Francis Lawrence adamantly chose not to digitally insert Hoffman as Plutarch Heavensbee for the remaining scenes of Part 1 and Part 2, instead rewriting scenes to give his dialogue to other characters. With a budget like that of “The Hunger Games,” it certainly would have been feasible to make use of the expensive digital process to create Hoffman’s performance, but Lawrence made the artistic and moralistic choice to go another route.

Even so, for franchises like “Fast and Furious,” it would not be surprising for this kind of technology to become common not just for actors who have passed away, but for any situation in which actors cannot be physically present. Big-budget films that can afford this digital manipulation often work on fast-paced schedules and with actors who are busy themselves, so there is little time for reshoots if something changes or goes wrong. Imagine how easy it would be to simply create a digital version of the actor for one or two scenes when they cannot be called back to set— and how much money the studio would save.

That is not to say that actors will become obsolete; quite the contrary, the process could allow for actors to take on projects without fear of scheduling conflicts or, as in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” to accept roles for which they may not be physically an exact match—if that is even possible— but are otherwise well-suited. In “The Social Network,” for example, the Winklevoss twins were portrayed by Armie Hammer and a body double with Hammer’s face added digitally in post production. There are only so many twins in Hollywood, but there are plenty of talented actors and actresses who would happily see two of themselves on the big screen.

Walker’s treatment in “Furious 7” is only the beginning of this new kind of filmmaking and it was just what the public needed to be introduced to such cutting-edge technology. CGI characters that look like real people can be frightening, but by using it to revive a well-loved actor in an iconic role for one last ride, audiences were able to warm to the idea more genuinely and personally. After all, movies are about portraying the human experience, even if their methods sometimes seem to transcend humanity.

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FEATURES

April 27, 2012

Students start Women’s Political Caucus club Student starts Women’s Political Caucus on campus

Photo Credit: Prof. Emily Bent ASIA LETLOW Editorial Intern University student Larissa Szilagyi started the newest student organization to hit the campus. The Women’s Political Caucus is centered around women’s empowerment and political discussions. Szilagyi started the club after observing powerful women in her own political circuit and exploring her own political interests.

What inspired you to form this organization?

LS: This past summer, I spent my time interning for my state senator. We were working on sexual assault policies when the Momounth County Women’s Political Caucus held a panel on sexual assault on college campuses. At this event, I was able to network with other members and board members of WPC. The event that really convinced me to begin a Women’s Political Caucus at Pace was the Women’s Equality event that was held to celebrate the ratification of the 19th Amendment. At this event, I was able to meet the National Vice President of Membership who spoke to me about the importance of starting young and creating college chapters so women have a better opportunity of being in politics when they’re older. This conversation really made me have a passion to create this organization on campus.

What is your “mission”?

The university’s Women’s Political Caucus mission is to educate, prepare, and empower young women to be involved in the political and nonprofit fields.

What are your motives behind it? What do you want to see become achieved through this group?

My motive is to create an opportunity for [the women of this University] to be prepared for the political sphere. I hope for this group to push the boundaries and the [glass] ceiling by rejecting gender inequality in the political sphere.

Do you plan to travel?

It would be great to travel and network with other students with shared passions.

Currently, I’m focused on making WPC an official club so we can have those opportunities.

What kinds of activities do you plan on incorporating into the group?

I plan to have educational sessions, panels of women in the political sphere, and related political events. Currently, WPC is getting ready to march in the March for Gender Equality and Women’s Rights.

Have you had any previous work in the field of politics and women’s issues/empowerment?

Not only did I intern for my state senator, but I also worked for the Barbara Buono for Governor campaign in New Jersey during my senior year of high school. Senator Buono faced extreme gender bias during her campaign and even concluded her speech on election night with “we knew they wouldn’t let us into the all boys club, so we decided to kick in the door” which was extremely empowering to a young woman like me working in politics.

What are some of the obstacles you’ve faced, as this is a club/organization still in its beginning stages?

The biggest obstacle in not being a recognized organization by SDACA. I’m currently in the process of writing a constitution and doing paperwork to be recognized.

Without recognition, we have no funding for events. None of which is SDACA’s fault; it is the process every club has to go through.

What must be done in order to start a club or organization at the University? Have you found any ways around it?

In order to run a group at [the University], you have to be recognized by SDACA so you can have funding and obtain classrooms for meetings. I have been able to work with the Women and Gender Studies department to obtain classrooms and find ways around other obstacles we face.

Who is your main supporter?

Our biggest supporters are the Women’s and Gender Studies Department. Dr. Reagin, Dr. Bent, and Dr. Nayak have all helped me create ideas, get rooms, and organize meetings for WPC. The WGS department also is extremely active on social media and covers our events every time. Without the WGS department, organizing the WPC would be impossible.

What do you want people to take away from this organization?

I want people to have a better understanding of the importance of gender equality in the political sphere. There are too many times that women are misrepresented in politics and nonprofit organizations. I hope this will bring a better understanding the importance of women in politics. Also, I hope the organization will bring education to women so they are prepared for careers in political spheres.

Is your organization solely geared towards women, or is it open to male students as well?

This organization is all about gender equality, men are welcome.

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April 27, 2012

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Review: Cherry underneath the Dream Hotel NIK BHARAT Staff Writer

It’s been an interesting week, people. Hillary Clinton finally announced she’d run, the New York Auto Show was on and Lubin had its Spring Banquet.... if you’re into that kind of thing. Personally, I’m not— but sometimes we all have to bow to social pressure.

Anyway, the Lubin Spring banquet was at the PHD rooftop at the Dream Hotel, which is a great place, but that’s a topic for another time.

Long story short, I skipped the banquet but I met my friends for for dinner after at Cherry, the restaurant on The Dream’s bottom level. The restaurant describes itself as ‘French inspired Japanese,’ which is is bullshit for Japanese. Really good Japanese, but none the less....

The ambience is interesting, good music—not very loud but just enough to keep a ‘buzz.’ The interior might be one of the best in the city; it’s all red, with vintage portraits and luscious chairs. Yep, luscious. Tell all your friends.

The bartenders are awesome. Normally I love cocktails but sake is definitely the way to go here.

Especially if they have the Sparkling Nigori available.

The food is all great, especially the Omakase sushi choices and the crispy rice tuna.

Prices aren’t super bad, considering where you are and the fact that it’s Japanese, which is generally always a bit tough on wallets. One of the big advantages is that Cherry used to be slightly dull a little while back...but they recently changed that, so it’s not ‘hot’ yet—meaning reservations are almost always pretty easy, which is awesome for what is definitely a place catering to the ‘trendy’ crowd.

This place is beyond a solid all rounder. A place worth a visit, especially if you’re gonna party at PHD, Electric Room, or Tao Downtown or even No.8 Lounge...if you can get in!

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April 27, 2012

FEATURES

Students use spring break to better Far Rockaway ASIA LETLOW Editorial Intern

From March 16-19, fifteen students from the University’s New York City and Pleasantville campuses participated in the Center for Community Action and Research Alternative Spring Break trip. This entailed volunteer service in Rockaway Beach and Broad Channel in Queens.

Paired with Friends of Rockaway, a non-profit organization helping to repair uninhabited homes, the students focused mainly on mending the damage left by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. Hurricane Sandy relief has been the focus of CCAR’s volunteer work for three years. This is their second year working on renovating the Rockaways; the first year was dedicated to improving Staten Island.

A program based in both the New York City and Pleasantville campuses through the Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, CCAR first started as Volunteers In Action in the 1990s. Its goal was to connect students with nonprofit organizations. CCAR’s mission is to “to enrich the educational experiences of students, faculty, and staff in a manner that is consistent with Pace’s mission to cultivate tomorrow’s leaders and citizens for active participation in the larger life of their communities, the nation, and the world.”

Students were driven to volunteer for a plethora of motives, ranging from personal impact from the storm, to general interest. They were most surprised to learn that although the hurricane hit three years ago in 2012, environmental damage still left neighborhoods distraught and unlivable. Though Westchester and Manhattan have greatly recovered, Staten Island and the Rockaways are still working towards improvement. Despite the fact that the media has moved on to other issues, students are working on shedding light on these areas and how their damage targets citizens of the affected areas.

Prior to volunteering, students attended information sessions and meetings to learn about the purpose of the trip. Twenty hours were spent painting, sanding, flooring, mudding and installing walls in the homes.

When they were not rebuilding, volunteers were engaged in several environmentally conscious activities to better themselves and their community.

They wrote letters to an official or newspaper in regards to an issue they wanted to impact, the subjects ranging from improving transportation to raising awareness about organizations. Each night included a reflection session, where students posted on various social media such as Facebook and Twitter about their experiences helping the affected neighborhoods, under the hashtag #PaceASB15.

“Because of this trip, I appreciate everything I have so much more! Can’t wait to see what the next few days bring!” shared one volunteer.

The student’s work attracted the attention of a few media platforms; after volunteering, CCAR volunteers met with the associate editor of The Wave, Rockaway’s local newspaper, and the Director of Friends of Rockaway. From this, students gained perspective on how deeply Hurricane Sandy affected residents of the town.

Students were much more than “voluntourists,” as Program Coordinator Ashley Kuenneke noted. “Instead [students] are immersing themselves in a community and learning about an issue while also being able to directly work to remedy it,” she said. The Alternative Spring Break gave students the ability to put their time to good use by helping the community.

In coming events, CCAR will be participating in Hands on New York Day, on April 18, 2015, in which over seventy university volunteers will work to better their community by painting and mulching.

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