April 23, 2015 by The Pace Press

April 23, 2015

Est. 1948

Volume 67 | Issue 11

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Are white people entitled to more space than me? ERICK MANCEBO Editor-In-Chief It’s New York City, so it’s bound to happen. You don’t catch someone approaching and your shoulders lightly bump. You look back, a little shocked but regretful, and try to sputter an apology before turning back to your hurried walk to class or the office. And by the time you’ve made it to your upward-bound elevator, you’ve forgotten about it. But what if you didn’t forget about it? What if it began to happen so often that the momentary shoulder graze jumped from a sensory memory and became a short term memory—momentarily occupying your mind during a meal hours later, perhaps—before finally becoming a long term memory? Because that’s what happened to me when I began to notice the people bumping into me: mostly men and mostly white. I know. You’re already asking whether I’m reading too much into something—and trust me, I’ve already done it. It’s a self-assessment too many people of color have to make on a sometimes daily basis: The “Am I Making This A Racist Thing?” Test. It’s a vicious mental test, described best by Jezebel’s Brit Bennett, who wrote in her post-Ferguson piece “I Don’t Know What to Do With Good White People” the following:

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INSIDE @thepacepress

NEWS

ARTS

FEATURES

President Obama bans gay conversion therapy

Students take the stage for amateur night

University updates sexual assault policy

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NEWS

April 23, 2015

Activists fight to get first woman on American currency ANNA YESILEVSKIY Staff Writer Senator Jeanne Shaheen recently introduced the campaign of a grassroots organization called Women on 20s. The goal of the movement is to change the face of the twenty-dollar bill. The Women on 20 group want to change the face of the bill to that of an important and influential woman from history, fully replacing the face of Andrew Jackson on the dollar bill by 2020. This would not only make a historical change, but—if the bill can be changed— this will be a significant year as it marks the hundredth anniversary since the passing of the nineteenth amendment, which paved the

would support gender equality and recognize women in history.” Napoli also stated that she thinks Rosa Parks should take the place of Andrew Jackson as “she sparked a human rights civil movement and stood up for what she believed in.” Freshman Courtney Friedman, on the other hand, had a wavering opinion on the news, saying, “I think it is a great idea to give credit to some of the most influential women in history. Yet at the same I don’t think it should be taken away from the men who did their work to get there too. Maybe put them on a new coin or bill but don’t take it away from the men because they are equally deserving of the credit.”

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Millions of bees crash onto highway. No, really. MAXIMILLIANO ONOFRE News Editor nbc.com way for all women to vote, starting with white women. After a long process of voting, the women on the last ballot as contenders for the bill are Harriet Tubman, Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosa Parks and Wilma Mankiller. The group’s mission statement reiterates their reason for campaigning, stating, “We believe this simple, symbolic and long overdue change could be an important stepping stone for other initiatives promoting gender equality.” Senator Shaheen added on, saying, “Our paper currency is an important part of our everyday lives and reflects our values, traditions and history as Americans. It’s long overdue for that reflection to include the contributions of women.” The introduction of the campaign and the bill has sparked a lot of interest, debate and discussion around the country. The campaign’s executive director, Susan Ades Stone has thus decided to get a lot of votes to “make sure that the mandate is overwhelming” before asking for the change. The White House backs this sentiment for change. In a speech at Kansas City last July, Obama stated, “Last week, a young girl wrote to ask me why aren’t there any women on our currency? And then she gave me like a long list of possible women to put on our dollar bills and quarters and stuff, which I thought was a pretty good idea.” This young girl who sent the infamous letter, Sofia, is currently helping out with the campaign. Freshman Chelsi Napoli supports the idea of placing women on American currency, saying, “It’s a perfectly fine idea. I think it

We believe this simple, symbolic and long overdue change could be an important stepping stone for other initiatives promoting gender equality. Our money does say something about us, about what we value. -Mission Statement Women on 20s

As to whom Friedman thinks should be on the new twenty-dollar bill if the bill was changed, she said, “I would vote for Eleanor Roosevelt to be on it. She paved the way for powerful women in our society today and considering that number is growing exponentially it is hard to deny her successful influences.” The bill was sent to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs after its introduction and will go through several steps of review before a decision and any possible change is made. While there is a chance that the face of the twenty-dollar bill might not change, the initial campaign is definitely a step in the right direction for gender equality.

On Friday, April 17, a tractor-trailer overturned while driving on the Interstate 5 median in Washington around 3:30 a.m. While the driver, a 36-year-old Idaho man, was able to leave the crash without injuries, those around the site of the incident were not as lucky. The truck had been carrying a large cargo of honeybees worth $92,000, and after it flipped, it spilled approximately 14 million bees across the road. The bees immediately left their hives, flying all around. Reporters and camera crews were swarmed with the bees as they tried to get the story. Seattle television station KIRO even posted a video compilation of its on-scene reporter swatting away the insects as he reported on the accident The bees were owned by Belleville Honey and Beekeeping Supply of Burlington and were originally being transported from Sunnyside, in central Washington, to a blueberry farm in Lynden, a city near the Canadian border, 100 miles north of Seattle. Their job was to pollinate the crops. The company sprang into action, as they tried to come in and help. Beekeepers were sent to inspect the remains and attempt to save as many of the insects as they could, covered in their protective suits while they worked. The bees, while swarming, did not leave the hives attacking but as the day got warmer and the sun rose, they became agitated. Firefighters at the scene had to take action, and doused the insects with foam on some of the boxes, killing the bees for the safety of the public. Many of the hives however, were around for more than seven hours and after so long, they were scooped up and dumped into a dump truck. Most of the hives at this point had been crushed. State Patrol Trooper Travis Shearer said, “I’m sure they’ll take that someplace and try to save as many as they can, but they can do that someplace safer, away from the 1-5 corridor.” The bees were originally being transported from Sunnyside, in central Washington, to a blueberry farm in Lynden, a city near the Canadian border, 100 miles north of Seattle. Shearer tweeted to reporters and drivers to keep their windows up as they drove by the site, and to “#beesafe when traveling through the area.” The owner of the company, Eric Thompson, told The Seattle Times, the beekeepers he sent recovered 128 hives before the sun came up but the damage would be hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment and future profit, although fortunately, everything was insured. “I’m disappointed we caused such chaos and confusion,” he added.

NEWS

April 23, 2015

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Conversion Therapy banned by President Obama CHASE BALLAS Editorial Intern Since taking office, President Barack Obama has made great strides in improving the standards of equality for members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered community. After making headlines by supporting same-sex marriage, he is once again showing his dedication to the community by publicly speaking against conversion therapy. Conversion therapy aims to suppress homosexual desires and to embrace heterosexual norms. Supported by some anti-gay groups, conversion therapy is generally opposed to by the scientific community, since it shows no actual change except an increase in depression and suicide. Born biologically male in Ohio, Leelah Alcorn, without the support of her parents, identified as a female since the age of fourteen. While others accepted her identity, she was sent to Christian-based camps that performed conversion therapies by her parents. Leelah stated in her suicide note that her experiences in the camp made her depressed and

made her struggle with her identity and self-esteem. Her suicide note, posted on her Tumblr page hours later, blamed her parents’ lack of understanding of herself and preceding isolation as the cause of her death. Leelah’s suicide brought national attention to the harm of conversion therapy and its attempt to suppress sexuality. On social media, petitions circulated for a proposed “Leelah’s Law”, which would ban conversion therapy. In Hollywood, the Amazon.com television series Transparent, about a family adjusting to their father coming as transgender, brought transgenderidentity to new lights and audiences, and dedicated its Golden Globe Best Comedy win in Leelah’s honor. The Leelah’s Law petition eventually would reach the White House, and on Apr. 9th, 2015, President Obama released a statement, stating: “Tonight, somewhere in America, a young person, let’s say a young man, will

NIK BHARAT Staff Writer Spring is definitely one of my favorite times of the year—the weathers changing, the fashion is on point, and the mood just seems to suit the city better. But new weather also means new wardrobe, which means shopping, which means SoHo. If you’re going to be doing some retail therapy, you’re probably going to head to SoHo, and rightly so. But in between spending all your cash on some variation cotton with a fancy (and meaningless) name in front of it, make some time to grab a bite. Mercer Kitchen has been a staple in SoHo for quite sometime now, and there’s a good reason for that. This place is solid. Although I wouldn’t necessarily come here for dinner (there are better places, for less money), the lunch is pretty awesome. The crowd in here is definitely more industry than tourist—tons of people who live in the neighborhood, models, people shopping in the area, photographers and a few visitors from Europe. It’s a pretty busy lunch hour, but service is snappy and the interior is nicely lit with semi transparent skylights above. The food is perfect for lunch hour. There’s a raw bar, a decent selection of appetizers and salads and some great American fare. What they do best over here, though, are the basics—the black truffle and fontina pizza is fantastic, as is the butternut squash soup with trumpet mushrooms (best I’ve ever Mercer caters to an extremely wide variety of people here, so you’ll find wellexecuted options for all tastes. They’ve got fish and chips, some solid burgers, a chicken sandwich and a slow baked salmon, among other things. The drinks are great too. There’s a cucumber martini, which is the most refreshing drink I’ve ever had. Watch out, though, its very easy to slam quite a few of these, which is both expensive and not worth doing. This isn’t “Mad Men”…lets leave the three martini lunches to people with grey hair and mega yachts… we’ll get there, eventually… Anyway, back to reality; They’ve also have some homemade sodas, which all go great with a solid dose of vodka. If you’re feeling really special and want some dessert after your lunch, try the Butterscotch Pudding or the Sour Cream Cheesecake, both of which are good, but you wouldn’t really be missing anything thing if you dip early and get back to Topshop or Prada, depending on whose credit card you’re using. In fact, if you’re very keen on something sweet after your grub, jump over to Momofuku Milk Bar a couple of blocks away and grab some birthday cake soft serve. Or anything for that matter—it’s all pretty tempting.

struggle to fall to sleep, wrestling alone with a secret he’s held as long as he can remember. Soon, perhaps, he will decide it’s time to let that secret out. What happens next depends on him, his family, as well as his friends and his teachers and his community. But it also depends on us -- on the kind of society we engender, the kind of future we build.” With this comment, President Obama is furthering is commitment to the freedoms of equality and protection of all citizens. While support for conversion therapy has substantially decreased since the 1960s, there is still a lingering commitment in the conservative right that homosexuality and transgender-identity can be cured. Most notably, in Jun. 2014, the Texas Republican Party have added support of conversion therapy to its agenda. However, like in many other states, Texas has a bill in the state government awaiting decision to ban conversion therapy to minors.

First stop on your perfect SoHo shopping trip: Mercer Kitchen

swoon-interiors.com Finally, once you’re done with all your shopping, window or otherwise, head over to Felix and grab one of the tables facing outward from the windows of the restaurant. Order any one of their mojitos— as they’re all great and quite strong—sipping slowly and enjoying the sunset…or people watching, whatever beauty you choose to appreciate. Cheers!

SPORTS

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April 23, 2015

Mets opener starts baseball season SARAH HARTZELL Editorial Intern As the warm spring breezes thaw New Yorkers out from the thaw that was winter 2014-2015, the warm embraces of stadium hot dogs and $7 beers call to New Yorkers looking to enjoy America’s pastime. The New York Mets celebrated their home opening day at Citi Field on ApriThe New York Mets celebrated their home opening day at Citi Field on April 13 with a win over conference rivals the Philadelphia Phillies. It was a sunny day in Queens as the Mets kicked off the season with tributes to the fallen police officers Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos, with a helicopter flyover by the NYPD Aviation Unit and first pitches thrown by Liu’s widow and Ramos’ sons. The ballpark was full to the brim with fans clad in blue and orange ready to begin the season with optimism that it will go better than last year’s, which was riddled with injuries and which the team ended with a record under .500. Things seem to be looking up for the Amazins, though, as National League Rookie of the Year Jason deGrom got the shutout win and energized the crowd for six and a third innings. The excitement was amplified when closer Jeurys

Familia got the save after Phillies outfielder Grady Sizemore hit into a double play to end the game. The Mets went on to sweep the series against the Phillies, as well as the following series against the Miami Marlins. Going into the series against the Atlanta Braves starting April 21, the Mets are on an eight game winning streak for the first time since June of 2010. Fans have been imbued with positivity for the season with the return of David Wright, occasionally known as Captain America, and pitcher Matt Harvey, aka the Dark Knight. Harvey missed the entire 2014 season after having Tommy John surgery and Wright returned from a shoulder injury, only to sustain a hamstring injury during a game on April 15. Even with their captain once again on the disabled list and injuries befalling three other players, the Mets only lost three games in their first two weeks of the season and their streak of bad pitching seems to have come to an end with the help of starters Bartolo Colon, Jon Niese, and Dillon Gee. Sports Illustrated placed the Mets fourth in their power rankings for the week of April 20, with the best record in the National League and the second best in the majors. The team jumped nine spots in the rankings, from thirteenth the week prior. The general consensus among sports fans seems to be that this is a comeback season for the Mets, with Citi Field attendees bringing signs and t-shirts bearing slogans like “The Magic is Back” and “Take Back New York”—a jab at intracity rivals the New York Yankees— exemplifying the spirit and resilience that Mets fans have become known for after a string of tough seasons. The Washington Nationals will be tough to beat down the stretch for the National League East title, but things are looking bright early in the season. It hasn’t been easy to be a Mets fan in recent years, but in the words of new Met Michael Cuddyer, “Ya gotta believe.”

April 23, 2015

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April 23, 2015

OPINION AND EDITORIALS

EDITORIAL BOARD Erick Mancebo Editor-In-Chief Christian Gomez Executive Editor Marc Saggese Advertising Manager Maximilliano Onofre News Editor Melissa Vargas Arts Editor Courtney Michelle Johnson Features Editor Brianda Agramonte Distribution Manager Dr. Stephanie Hsu Faculty Advisor

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. 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. 902 New York, NY 10038 thepacepress.org editor@thepacepress.org Copyright 2015

Is walking racialized?

A look at spatial domination and white entitlement ERICK MANCEBO Editor-In-Chief “I often hear good white people ask why people of color must make everything about race, as if we enjoy considering racism as a motivation. I wish I never had to cycle through these small interactions and wonder: Am I overthinking? Am I just being paranoid? It’s exhausting.” I mentioned the shoulder checking (think like the Bruins) theory to a friend, and she lit up, intrigued by the phenomenon she’d never heard uttered. That encouraging moment inspired further research. New York Magazine’s Jessica Roy last year documented similar instances of men not moving for women: “It’s a phenomenon that perhaps we could call manslamming,” she wrote. “The sidewalk M.O. of men who remain apparently oblivious to the personal space of those around them. Should you choose not to yield to these men, they will walk directly into you without even acknowledging it.” That’s exactly it, I thought. But while I had a pretty good sense of this all having to do with a skewed spatial authority informed by a privileged sense of entitlement, I couldn’t find the language to express it. Until Roy unpacked it a little. “[Bumping] involves questions of personal space that have vexed feminists for years — arguably, both are symptoms of a culture that teaches men to self-assuredly occupy any and all space available to them,

regardless of who’s nearby.” And there was my a-ha moment. Walking around New York with an inflated sense of self and entitlement (lucky bastards), it never occured to these —primarily white—men that sharing a 10 foot sidewalk with two opposing lanes of pedestrian traffic, tourists, strollers, dogs etc. would necessitate an adjustment of their walking trajectory. No; Instead, everyone else must yield to them. Unbothered with blissfully and unapologetically shoulder checking women, surely exercising the same disregard for men (and women) of color would also play into the phenomenon. That these phenomena are being documented is one step, and hopefully it will inspire more awareness and defiance. But I’m aware these microaggressions may not be recognized or reversed in my lifetime. And even so, I don’t expect to suspect that every bump of the shoulder I experience is informed by my race, or anyone else’s gender. But at the very least, if you are a white man bumping into someone of color, or a woman, or anyone who dare not yield to your whim… Just as I go home and fruitlessly wonder, you should also be subject to the shadow of a doubt lingering in your mind: Was that action inherently informed by an inflated sense of white entitlement? Are my actions racially motivated? And hopefully the momentary selfassessment will give you a glimpse into what it’s like to experience microaggressions every day.

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.

April 23, 2015

ARTS

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Students take to the stage for amateur night TRACI ANN THOMAS Editorial Intern It was night of unforgettable talent; from jaw-dropping vocals to magic tricks to contortionists. Amateur Night gave the spotlight to some of the University’s creative, original and overall entertaining performers. The Schimmel Theater housed a population of 200+ students, ready to dance their butts off to the DJ’s playlist and show their support for their peers. The event welcomed back Mike Barber and DJ Spynfo, who has been cohosting Amateur Night for the past several years now. Barber addressed why he loves returning to host the annual showcase, saying, “[With] 8 years coming back, it’s been a pleasure each and every year. I always enjoy myself, me and Spynfo, this is a home to us!” The 14 participants certainly gave the judges a run for their votes. This year’s group included a number of returning contestants; like Jessica Raja and her “Crazy in Love” mash-up jazz routine, and Nia Coleman, whose performance of Beyoncé’s “If I were a Boy” brought down the house. Newcomers like a capella group Tonal Recall and rapper CTYZN made a lasting impression. Coleman and Raja took home 2nd and 3rd place, respectively. First place went to Ronnie Lacend, who also returned to the Schimmel stage with a new original song, “Sound of Losing You.” Amateur Night also kept the tradition of handing out the “Crowd Favorite” Award; determined by the audience through the use tallying Twitter hashtags purposed for each participant. This year’s audience pleaser was Mary Teoli, who beautifully belted out “Don’t Rain on my Parade” the show-stopping number from “Funny Girl.”

The event, organized by the studentrun P.A.C.E. Board, had gone into hiatus after questionable weather conditions kept Amateur Night from its March 5 scheduled appearance. P.A.C.E. Board has had a difficult year in terms of keeping dates for major events, most infamously last year’s Homecoming concert, which was postponed to a later date and rebranded the “Jingle Jam.” “You have to deal with a lot of changes that were happening with legal that caused the contract system to be changed completely...” said P.A.C.E. Board member Kevin Swanson, also an Arts & Entertainment Management student. He went on to explain the difficulties of rescheduling the Amateur Night, including maintaining a spot in the Schimmel Theater. Having to squeeze in the showcase into a schedule that has been set for a year already brought concern, as the spot reservation “was almost lost because of the snow day. Because the only day that was available for Schimmel was [March 5th]...Schimmel is so booked during the spring.” With the uncertainty of when the new date would be, Swanson and the rest of the P.A.C.E. Board worked on overdrive to make sure audience turnout, marketing, and promotion would not be extremely affected. Their ending results are applauded, as reception of the event was very positive. Amateur night is an event for the students, by the students. Showcasing not only the extraordinary performance talents of the University, but the skills they have acquired in order to run a major event themselves. In spite of the drawbacks and the ongoing changes the University has and continues to face, this year’s event definitely showed that University students know how to run the show.

Photos: Natalie Condrillo/The Pace Press

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ARTS

April 23, 2015

MARVEL OVERTAKES BOTH BIG AND SMALL SCREEN

Fans await “Avengers” film as studio builds anticipation MAXIMILLIANO ONOFRE News Editor On March 4, 2015, Marvel released the third trailer for the highly anticipated film, “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” and has since given fans four short clips of movie scene previews. With the red carpet premiere having recently passed on April 13, Marvel released the latest clip, a focus on Ultron, the robotic villain who has intelligent design and was created by Iron Man, one of the movie’s heroes. This clip showed why Ultron is bent on destroying the Earth and the Avengers with it, creating a vastly dark sequel to the first installation of the series. This film has left a lot of speculation in its track as Whedon stated in the beginning of the filming that Ultron would not follow the plotline of the 10-issue limited series comic books, whose name it shares, and instead have its own original plotline. Because of the high marketing and promotion for this film, it has left some fans more than excited, while others just have felt that the new movie will not live up to its expectations. Fans all over social media websites have given their input via Tumblr posts, comments on YouTube and Facebook and even tweeting directly at Whedon and the cast. Never the less, with the premiere only a few weeks away, there is only so much that has been left up to the imagination. The clips and trailers have given a lot of plotline away while holding on to the secrecy of a possible relationship between Bruce Banner, The Hulk and Natasha Romanov, Black Widow, as well as giving an insight into Romanov’s life before the Avengers. Although the film has not made it to the general public, Whedon and Marvel have already announced two more films to follow the Avengers as part of their listings for what Marvel is putting out for the next few years; Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and, Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 are scheduled to be released on May 4 2018 and May 3 2019, respectively.

Netflix’s “Daredevil” is a Marvel stunt worth getting into SARAH HARTZELL Editorial Intern The Marvel machine has turned out another hit with “Daredevil,” the first of the company’s lineup exclusive to Netflix. The show follows Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox), lawyer by day and vigilante by night, as he tries to protect his neighborhood (Hell’s Kitchen, apropos of his alter ego) both in the courtroom and on the streets. His superpower: he was blinded as child, leaving his other senses heightened, aided by his martial arts prowess. In comparison to Marvel’s other television enterprises, “Agents of SHIELD” and “Agent Carter,” “Daredevil” is far darker and more dramatic, opting for the “gritty realism” more closely associated with rival DC Comics’ productions. It still maintains the signatures of a Marvel comic, though— humor, with Murdock’s legal partner Foggy Nelson (Elden Henson); humanity from supporting characters Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), who is Murdock and Nelson’s first client-turned-secretary, and Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson), known as the Night Nurse in the comics, who patches Murdock up when his crime fighting goes awry; and a badass and complex villain in Wilson Fisk (Vincent D’Onofrio), aka the Kingpin. It also subtly references the greater Marvel Universe, including the effect that the battle in “The Avengers” had on New York City. Even among the myriad fightingbased shows on television nowadays, “Daredevil”’s stunts are a cut above the rest. Murdock’s fighting is a form of mixed martial arts and his super-hearing allows him to dodge and weave against

his opponents without ever laying eyes on them. One scene in the second episode expertly showcases both the stunt team and the cinematography, as Murdock fights his way through a crew a baddies in a hallway through a continuous onetake shot. Unlike in most fight scenes, the goons actually get back up after a punch and Matt beats them back down time and time again. The scene is jarring in its style, but it drives home the sheer power of this hero, as well as the fact that he does it all without sight, and sets the tone for the rest of the series. Like any good Netflix series, “Daredevil” is easily binge-able, with all thirteen episodes released at once. “Daredevil” is unique, though, because it has taken extra steps to expand its viewership and aid those with special needs. Less than a week after the show premiered, Netflix added descriptive audio tracks to every episode so that the visually impaired can enjoy it as well as those with sight. The tracks include narration of action, facial expressions, and scene changes, and will be added to more of Netflix’s titles in the coming weeks. Before the tracks were added, fans had started a petition to do just that, arguing that it was ironic at best and hypocritical at worst for the show to have a blind main character and not provide an option for viewers who are blind or with poor vision. Marvel has set the bar very high for itself with its recent films and tv shows, and “Daredevil” does not disappoint. Fans of existing shows like “Agents of SHIELD,” “Gotham,” and “Arrow” should be sure to make “Daredevil” the next addition to their queue.

ARTS

April 23, 2015

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Coachella music Festival overtakes California MARC SAGGESE Advertising Manager Amongst other things, Coachella is known for surprises. Outkast reunited for a greatest hits set in 2014, two years prior Tupac was resurrected as a hologram to join his west coast brethren Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre on stage, and almost a decade earlier The Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne rolled across the main stage crowd in a giant inflatable bubble, hamster-wheel style. Coachella 2015 had a lot to live up to, and while there were no holograms or bubbles, it did the festival’s history justice. If there were a comparable moment to the ones listed above, it would undoubtedly be the kiss shared between Drake, the show’s headliner, and Madonna, who made a guest appearance during his set. During the Toronto rapper’s performance of the aptly named “Madonna” from his latest mixtape released earlier this year, the eponymous pop superstar emerged from backstage to perform “Express Yourself.” At the song’s conclusion, Madonna sat Drake down on a chair, walked behind him, leaned his head backwards and gave him a dramatic, drawn-out kiss. Rehearsed or not, the rapper seemed genuinely shocked. A snapshot of Drake’s confusion with an arguably crazed Madonna in the background immediately spawned countless memes. While the kiss was truly unexpected and inevitably the festival’s most talked about moment, the rest of the show was just as exciting. Just an hour or so prior to Drake’s set was Stromae, the Belgian singer who’s Tim Burton character-esque physique is just as striking as his stage show. He, plus his ensemble of dancers projected on a screen behind him, dramatically performed choreographed routines to some of Stromae’s most well known songs. He ended his set with his biggest hit to date “Papaoutai,” with a costume change to match the one he wore in the song’s official video. Another non-American standout was Kimbra. The New Zealand-born singer is most known for her feature

on the out-of-nowhere success of Gotye’s “Somebody that I used to know” in 2011. This year, Kimbra released her solo album “The Golden Era” along with art inspired by the music. “I wanted to bring in people as characters in a movie I was making” said Kimbra in a Billboard interview, explaining the concept of the record. Her performance was colorful, theatrical, and included a new song she debuted live at Coachella. Coachella is a festival that celebrates musical diversity, and boasts a lineup so large that even in two weekends on one person can see everything the Indio, California festival has to offer. Artists often have conflicting set times because of the many stages. This year, for example, headliner Jack White was performing at the same time as rapper Tyler, The Creator. The latter acknowledged the conflicting schedules during his performance and thanked the audience for coming to see him. Additionally, each night ran to the wee hours of the morning. The way the show was set up this year, the headliners would not play last. Instead, they played during around 10pm, and afterwards the DJs and EDM artists would take the stage so festival-goers could dance through the night. Ratatat, one of the festival’s highlights, took the stage after midnight and played an extended set where they debuted their new song “Cream on Chrome.” Aside from the music, Coachella had food and art on display as well. The centerpiece of the festival grounds is the giant ferris wheel which can be seen from practically any point on the grounds. Additionally, there’s a giant snail; an art installation that crept slowly across the whole festival over the course of each weekend, a spot for attendees to take photos and admire. This year Coachella also unveiled the pop-up restaurant, which takes the idea of a pop-up shop or food truck and adds fine dining with table service. This year, Coachella truly lived up to it’s past with adding new surprises, exciting music and art. With things continuing to ramp up every year, one wonders what will happen in 2016 to top Drake’s performance.

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Supermodel launches tech scholarship EMMA TAUBENFELD Staff Writer

Twitter/Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss, 22-year-old model, recently began the #KodewithKarlie scholarship foundation to encourage high school girls to learn to code. Aside from being a model, Kloss said she was inspired by a coding course she partook in. This led to an burgeoning interest in investigating the potential of cookie delivery by Drone, as well as factored into her decision to drop her role as a Victoria’s Secret angel to attend New York University in the fall. The #KodewithKarlie scholarship will grant 20 girls in the United States free tuition to Flatiron Pre-College Academy’s Introduction to Software Engineering course. Karlie believes that it’s crucial for young women to learn to code so that they can have a voice in the rapidly changing technical world. Men outnumber women seven to three in the tech industry. Tech companies only employ an average of 12.33 women engineers, so it’s no wonder that Kloss seemed to take an interest in the extremely low numbers. Other statistics show that 73 percent of men and women believe that the technology industry is sexist and 52 percent say that women are paid less

than men for the same job. Technology has turned into a gender-biased environment which is causing women not to get hired and even causing them to leave their jobs if they do get hired. The degrees that men and women receive for STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) are exactly the same, but men are seemingly getting hired quicker than women. Our society becomes more and more dependent on technology every single day so keeping up with all of these changes and advancements can be a difficult task. Teams of intelligent brains to create and adapt to these changes are crucial regardless of gender. Ten scholarships are available in New York City while the other ten are spread across cities such as Chicago, Austin, Boston, Greenwich, Miami, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The course is a full-time two weeks long affair that will teach software engineering. By the end of the course, the young women should have enough knowledge to create their own app. Even if the girls don’t have access to a computer, they will be loaned one for the duration of the two weeks. To apply for the scholarship, girls between the ages for 13 and 18 must fill out a form and upload a 30-90 second video to YouTube. Kloss’ goals for this scholarship is to encourage young girls to want to embrace their smart brains and try to accomplish something fantastic. Hopefully, this scholarship will inspire women to experiment within this field. With more people working on tasks such as coding, achievements in our world of technology can be made faster and more efficiently.

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FEATURES

April 23, 2015

University updates sexual assault policy

paceecon.com

COURTNEY MICHELLE JOHNSON Features Editor

The University recently unveiled a new Sex Based Misconduct policy and resource microsite in time for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The University’s focus shifted to sexual assault awareness after a warning to all colleges and universities went out in 2011. “A ‘Dear Colleague’ email went out to all the college presidents saying ‘sexual assault is in the news and this is your warning that by Fall 2016 you have to have [a policy] all put together,” said Dean of Students O’Grady. The University then took the “Gap Analysis,” a comparison between current performance and desired performance, which was pushed by Senator Claire McCaskill to assess the gaps in the current policy, which would need to be filled in order for the University to have the best standards. O’Grady believes the University is generally in a good place, but that improving is always beneficial. “I would say that Pace University is in a very good shape compared to other institutions,” said Dean O’Grady. “We have a policy, we do active things and other schools are just starting, so we’re farther along in that process, but it’s my opinion that we’re always going to change, we are always improving and that this work is never, ever done.” Dean O’Grady has been a part of the awareness movement for some time. “I’ve been doing sexual assault awareness weeks and programming since 2008 and have put together a group of students faculty and staff to help me pull this together,” said Dean O’Grady. Vanessa Herman, assistant vice president for government and community relations on the Westchester and New York City campuses, especially feels that this issue is an important one for the University to address. “This is an issue that as a college administrator and as a woman I felt was important,” said Herman. “Our office got involved early on last year in 2014 when President Obama announced his initiative to combat sexual assault on college campuses.” University Freshman Larissa Szilagyi helped incorporate a student voice in the updated policy. “I was the [student] voice that ‘stuck it to the man,’” said Szilagyi. Herman is proud of the student involvement that administrators have pushed in updating this policy. Once a month Government relations meets with the other colleges and Universities in New York City, such as St. Johns, NYU, Columbia and Fordham and discuss best practices “These other universities are re-working their policies, but I have found that they aren’t involving their students,” said Herman. “That is the thing that in my mind stood out in what we are doing right.” Dean O’Grady is also proud of the student involvement in updating this policy. “I am so proud of the students [who have been involved in this] because they talked about respect, and consideration and yes doesn’t mean yes every time,” said Dean O’Grady. “I think it’s been incredible to have the student point of view, otherwise its just adults trying to figure this whole landscape out and surely this landscape has changed.” The dean also stresses the fact that there has been a lot to consider and that this policy update has been tailored to both campuses. “It’s been a lot to coordinate, because its just been so many different facets on each

NATALIE CONDRILLO Editorial Intern

one of our campuses, for example, Westchester has athletics, we don’t have athletics, they have a larger Greek community than we do, we have a larger student population than they do, so the outcome is the same, but how we get there may be different.” Caitlin E. Grand, Program Coordinator of Government and Community Relations and University Alum is happy to see the University acknowledging the issue of sexual assault on campus and updating their sex based misconduct policy. “As an alumni and as a woman it’s very important to me to know that people I consider my family here at Pace are staying on top of these things and looking to better everything makes me feel more comfortable,” said Grand. “Even as a staff member, it’s good to know.” One of the most anticipated improvements made is the revised definition of consent, the creation of the new microsite and the inclusion of different types of students on campus into the new policy and movement. The topic of consent is a big part of the policy, because consent can vary with each different student. “Consent is something that is so blurred, because not everybody can read non-verbal communication,” said Szilagyi. “Not everybody is okay with saying ‘no,’ some feel that they have to do it, because ‘they hooked up with them last time’ or ‘I was texting or flirting with you so now I have to do it,’ and if we could all just understand ‘no means no’ and ‘yes means yes’ people would begin to understand not to assault people, I think that’s the first step to solving the problem.” Another big addition to the policy is the inclusion of LGBTQA students. “LGBTQA sexual assault [is definitely] the one thing that I knew I [joined the effort] on,” said Szilagyi. “It’s not just ‘oh I touched you and now you’re sexually assaulted,’ or ‘I penetrated you and now you’re raped,’ a lot of people thought [using a toy or object] is not the same, just being inclusive [of LGBTQA students] we had to include [certain instances] so being inclusive was a huge thing.” The microsite, another key component of the sexual assault awareness effort, contains resources for reporting a sexual assault, defining a sexual assault, safety tips, myths and facts and how to get involved on campus. The procedural element, however, in the event of a sexual assault is where students most often see challenges. Both University security and 911 are good resources for students to report a sexual assault that occurs on campus, however, “it is up to the student to decide which reporting channel they are most comfortable reporting to first,” said Lisa Miles, University

The Microsite VISIT pace.edu/sexual-assault

April 23, 2015

Affirmative Action Officer. “However, students should know that once Pace Security becomes aware of a possible sexual assault, they will respond immediately to assure that the student and the campus are safe from imminent danger. If security responds and a student wishes to contact 911, Pace Security will help the student with that process.” Miles stresses the fact that the University community will investigate allegations made that involve members of the community. “Students should also be aware that once an allegation of sexual assault involving members of the Pace Community comes to the attention of a non-confidential resource at the University, Pace will investigate, using the published investigatory protocol, even if the incident has been reported to the police,” said Miles. In addition, if a student is sexually assaulted off campus, they should turn to the nearest jurisdiction in order to avoid any other immediate danger. “If a Pace student is assaulted off campus and is still in danger, in need of medical assistance, or feeling unsafe to travel back to campus, they should immediately call 911,” said Miles. “I would advise that the student also inform Pace Security, so that our security can determine if there are any measures that we should employ to keep the student safe once he/she returns to campus.” There are instances, however, when University security will not be able to investigate a sexual assault. “If the student is assaulted off campus by someone who is not a member of the Pace community, we are not able to investigate using our investigatory process. However, we will provide the student with support, help the student report to the police if they choose, and provide internal and external resources including counseling and medical assistance,” said Miles. Any witnesses to sexual assaults whether on or off campus also have a responsibility to report the incident, but that the University’s health center and staff do not have a legal obligation to report an incident, because the medical offices are confidential resources. “The University has many programs on the importance that “By-standers” have in keeping the campus safe from sexual assault. The program gives important information and techniques for individuals who are witnesses to get involved. We remind everyone that “It’s on us”, all of us, to keep Pace safe,” said Miles. One of Miles’ top three tips for a victim who is assaulted and unsure if they should report, is to visit the University’s microsite. “The victim should access Pace’s Sexual Assault Microsite, brochure, or other resources to determine who the internal confidential resources are at the university, as well as the many external resources that are available. These individuals will be able to help the victim understand their options, and provide them with support while they are deciding how to move forward,” said Miles. Miles also stresses the fact that these students should know that they are not alone.

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Netflix rides ‘90’s nostalgia wave with “Full House” spin-off

abcnews.go.com

MELISSA VARGAS Arts Editor On Monday, April 20, John Stamos confirmed that a 13 episode spin-off of "Full House" will be premiering on Netflix. Stamos, who played "Uncle Jesse" on the famed '90's sitcom delivered the news when he appeared as a guest on the Jimmy Kimmel Live show Monday night. The following day actress Lori Loughlin, who portrayed Stamos' wife "Aunt Becky" visited the Access Hollywood studios where, obviously, she was asked about the spinoff. Access Hollywood reported, “the new series, 'Fuller House,' will star Candace Cameron-Bure, Jodie Sweetin and Andrea Barber—along with John Stamos, who will guest star and produce the series—but original stars Bob Saget, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Dave Coulier and Lori Loughlin are apparently still in talks." Loughlin added, "They made deals with half the cast, but not the other half," she told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover. "I don't have a deal, Dave doesn't have a deal, Bob, we're all in negotiations." "I think we would all like to come back, if the powers that be are fair to all of us," she continued.

thepacepress.org

FEATURES

April 23, 2015

Interview with a University alumna TRACI ANN THOMAS Editorial Intern It’s the end of the school year; and as spring has finally begun to roll in, seniors are preparing themselves. Not just for the anticipated relief of receiving their much-deserved diploma, but stepping out into the world and beginning the next stage of their lives. Whether or not they know what their specific plan is, it is a scary thing to actually discuss when you are still in the “blueprinting stage”. So it’s

During what years did you attend the University? 1995-1998 (Transferred in as a sophomore from Brooklyn College) What was your major/minor? Major: Sociology/Anthropology. Minor: Women’s Studies What made you decide to go to Pace? Transfer tuition scholarship in my sophomore year. Honestly, the great folks in the admissions department were part of the draw too. I liked the idea of small classes and a strong reputation in the city. Your experience on campus (if I can recall, you were a commuting student)? I was. I lived in Brooklyn and didn’t spend much time on campus other than for classes and using the library. I loved the library! It was the first time that I had such access to so many books! I loved doing research there. I loved working there. I loved hanging out with my friends there. It’s my strongest memory of the campus. As a commuting student, do you feel like you missed out on the on-campus, dorm experience? I actually lived in the off-campus dorms in Brooklyn Heights and L.O.V.E.D. it. I could never have afforded to live in Brooklyn Heights otherwise so it was a pretty sweet deal. Any groups/clubs you participated in while attending Pace? If so, have you made any connections through these programs? I founded a chapter of Amnesty International on the campus. Is it still around? I was also peripherally associated with the Black Student Union. Your favorite memory of being at Pace? My faculty. Roger Salerno was my advisor and friend. Steve Harvey was my anthropology teacher. I also did Sociology tutoring which I enjoyed, and which prompted me to pursue a PhD with the hopes of becoming a college professor.

nice to hear the experiences of someone who has already been through the same process themselves, and has been able to work towards a career that they love being a part of. Gisele Hendrie-Kemper is one of those people. She currently resides in the California Bay Area with her husband, Eric, two cats, and an adorable dog named Max. She plays a dual role as a Sociology teacher and college counselor at a charter school centered on the performing arts; she previously worked as the school’s principal for a few years as well.

How did attending Pace help you in your career path/life after college? My teachers were very supportive. What I learned at Pace got me into two great PhD programs! I love sociology and loved all that I learned at Pace. I did a year at CUNY and then transferred to NYU. I didn’t get the PhD but did get an MA in Sociology. I now teach Sociology at my high school. I’ve used what I learned at Pace, and at NYU in my work with youth at New York Youth At Risk, at Tech Futures, and in my current work as an administrator at Oakland School for the Arts. Is there anything you regret not doing while at Pace (certain classes you wish you could’ve taken, programs you did not participate in, etc)? If I had to do college over again I would take music classes. It’s the one regret that I have about school in general, that I never learned to play an instrument. I don’t even know if I could have done that at Pace! I was so academically focused when I was there that it didn’t occur to me to do anything fun with my classes. Well, except for the required art classes. I took Art History and a couple of the “...in New York” series (do they still do those?) so I got to go to the opera and the symphony which was really cool. Anything additional words of advice you would like to say to the graduating seniors, and the general student community here at the University? Hmm… Soak it up I would say. New York City is a one in a lifetime experience and Pace is a great launching pad into anything that you choose to do. Celebrate the accomplishment. Be gentle with yourself whatever happens next. It may or may not live up to expectations but it will likely be good nonetheless. Follow the path that shows itself. If you had asked me what I would be doing in twenty years when I graduated twenty years ago I would never have said that I’d be in California helping to build a charter school. It’s good to have a plan but it’s good to dance with what actually shows up too.