The Pace Press: Volume 68, Issue 9

March 2, 2017

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Volume 68 | Issue 9

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Earth x 7 = Trappist-1 SARAH HARTZELL Co-Executive Editor Astronomers have discovered seven Earth-size planets orbiting a nearby star. Due to their size and their location within the “habitable zone” of their star, it is possible that three of these planets could contain water and, therefore, support life.

The results of the study were published in the journal Nature on Feb. 22, coinciding with a press conference held by NASA announcing the discovery at their Washington D.C. headquarters. The system is called TRAPPIST-1, named for the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope in Chile, which was used to locate the first three of the planets in May 2016. NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope was used to discover the additional four planets, making TRAPPIST-1 the largest known system of Earth-size planets orbiting the same star.

“Answering the question ‘are we alone’ is a top science priority and finding so many planets like these for the first time in the habitable zone is a remarkable step forward toward that goal,” Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington, said in a press release.

The TRAPPIST-1 system is a series of firsts for astronomers: it is the first time that three terrestrial planets have been found in the habitable zone of the same star, and it is the first time astronomers have been able to measure the mass and radius of Earth-size planets in a habitable zone. While all seven of

the plants could contain water—a key feature of planets that can sustain life—under the right conditions, it is most likely that water would be found on the three planets within the habitable zone.

The star at the center of the system, which gives the system the TRAPPIST-1 name, is considered an ultracool dwarf star, about 2,000 times dimmer than our sun and only slightly larger than Jupiter. Because of this, the habitable zone is much closer to the star, which could explain the compact configuration of the seven planets. (All seven of the planets orbit closer to their star than Mercury does to our sun). TRAPPIST-1 is expected burn for another 10 trillion years, so even if the planets do not currently hold life, there is still potential that they will in the future.

The system is about 40 light-years away, or 235 trillion miles. While this is relatively close by on a cosmic scale, it would still take hundreds of millions of years to get there using current technology. Because they are located outside of our solar system— in the constellation Aquarius, to be exact—they are considered exoplanets.

The planets were discovered through a method called transit photometry, when researchers wait for a planet to pass in front of its host star. In studying the amount of light that is blocked, scientists can see the planet and determine its size. Since 2010, astronomers witnessed 34 transits which they determined came from seven different planets.

The six planets closest to the

TRAPPIST-1 star were measured using this system and the density measurements of the planets indicate that they are rocky or terrestrial like Earth, rather than gaseous, like Jupiter. The seventh planet has not yet been measured, but scientists think that could be an icy, “snowball-like” world.

Future research will focus on determining the molecular makeup of the planets’ atmospheres, which could determine whether or not they can sustain life. Things like oxygen could indicate biological activity.

“This is the most exciting result I have seen in the 14 years of Spitzer operations,” said Sean Carey, manager of NASA’s Spitzer Science Center at Caltech/IPAC in Pasadena, California, in a press release. “Spitzer will follow up in the fall to further refine our understanding of these planets so that the James Webb Space Telescope can follow up.

More observations of the system are sure to reveal more secrets.” The James Webb Space Telescope will launch at NASA in 2018.

The announcement comes as President Donald Trump has called for an expedited manned mission to the moon, the first since 1972. Originally planned to launch in 2019, Trump has asked NASA to push its launch date up to November 2018. With his obvious focus on returning America to its Cold War glory, it is unsurprising that Trump has set his sights to the moon, but with Congressional budget battles looming, it is unclear whether NASA will find itself on the chopping block or whether it will fulfill expectations of reaching Mars and beyond in the coming years.

NASA

Dakota Pipeline protesters make their exit miles, connecting North Dakota to Patoka, Illinois.

For months members of the tribe and supporters who have been following the conflict argued that they were not properly consulted about the route. The protesters have On Feb. 22 at 2 p.m., protesters at the Dakota Access made that argument heard in legal challenges and public Pipeline were given a choice to either return home or demonstrations against Energy Transfer Partners. Although be arrested. Only a couple of weeks into his presidency, the Corps had denied a permit for the construction of this on Jan 24, President Donald Trump signed off on a section of the Pipeline on Dec. 4 2016, protesters continued memorandum that directed the Army Corps of Engineers to stay in Standing Rock, citing that there would be more to “review and approve” the pipeline in an expedited work to do when President Trump took office. In fact, one manner stating, “I believe that construction and operation of Trump’s first moves as president was to undo Former of lawfully permitted pipeline infrastructure serve the President Barack Obama’s order that halted work on the national interest.” Now, the pipeline has been approved Keystone and Dakota Access Pipelines. and the construction begins.

Although protesters have left or been arrested, they Some occupants refused to leave, despite the didn’t leave without making their mark. In a symbolic evacuation order set by state and federal authorities. gesture, protesters set fire to their camp. “People Before the deadline, some arrests had already been have said their last prayers, and offered cedar to the made when protesters stepped outside the barrier put sacred fire and are also burning these structures we up to block police from entering their living area. have ceremonially built, so they must be ceremonially The protests against the pipeline began on Aug. removed,” Vanessa Castle of the Lower Elwha 4, 2016, when the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe sued Klallam tribe told the Seattle Times. the U.S Army Corps of Engineers. The plans for the With the construction resuming immediately, pipeline had been drawn up by the Corps on Dec. ETP announced that the company “estimates and 2015 and the plan was made public. By April 2016, targets that the pipeline will be complete and ready to the Corps had determined that no historic properties flow oil anywhere between the week of March 6, 2017 would be affected by the pipeline crossing. However, and April 1, 2017.” Construction for the pipeline will the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe had requested further be resuming immediately, connecting oil production archaeological survey of the area, disputing the from the Bakken oil fields in northwestern North Corps’ conclusion.

Dakota through South Dakota, Iowa, and down to a The former U.S. government’s Advisory DAPL protesters set campground ablaze terminal in Illinois.

Business Insider Council on Historic Preservation under the Obama

MAXIMILIANO ONOFRE Editor-In-Chief

administration also disputed the Corps’ conclusion in June 2016 in a letter, telling them there was a need for cooperation with tribal leaders to discuss concerns.

However, on July 25, 2016, the Corps had approved the portion of the Dakota Access Pipeline that would cross the Missouri River at the Lake Oahe reservoir. This reservoir is the primary water source for the reservation, and the tribes worried that it would further damage sacred sites and in turn violate tribal treaty rights.

This is not the only place where the pipeline will cross waterways. At least 22 of the crossings will be drilled deep under large bodies of water. The proximity to Native American lands, however, have made this crossing a prominent issue. The entirety of the Dakota Access Pipeline’s route takes it over four states and nearly 1,200

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Jewish cemetery vandalized in violent hate crime

Tombsotnes in Jewish cemetery destroyed in hate crime

LA Times

CHRISTIAN HALSTEAD News Intern A recent surge in threats and acts of violence against Jewish Community Centers and other Jewish establishments, such as cemeteries and temples, has sparked concern over the state of tolerance in today’s America. According to CNN, since the beginning of Jan. 2017, the FBI has accrued over 70 instances of anti-semitic bomb threats now in the process of investigation. These bomb threats have been issued in a total of 27 states throughout the country, including in New York, Chicago, Michigan, and Texas. Though luckily the majority of threats this year have turned out to be false alarms, the threats are still happening in record high numbers.

One of the most galling examples of such hatred and violence recently occurred on Feb. 21 in the small suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Over 100 tombstones were found broken and vandalized at the Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, a 123 year old Jewish cemetery. According to the Emeth Society’s website, the cemetery owned by the organization, “operates in accordance with Jewish tradition as is telling from its name:

Chesed – loving kindness; and Emeth – Torah Truth and integrity.” On the same day the site was desecrated, 11 Jewish Community Centers throughout the US received bomb threats.

During a White House press conference on Feb. 17, President Trump was asked by a Hasidic Jewish reporter to speak about the issue of rising anti-semitism in the United States. Neither the question nor the reporter was received well by the President at the time and the inquiry was left largely unresolved. Trump claimed the question was “unfair” and chose to use the time to talk about how absurd it was that he was being classified as an anti-semite; especially since just days before at a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, the Prime Minister had openly endorsed Trump as a supporter of the Israeli people.

On Feb. 21, the day of the attack at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetry, President Trump finally issued a statement, saying, “the anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible, and are painful, and a very sad reminder of the work that still must be done to root out hate and prejudice and evil.” Vice President Mike Pence, who was already in Missouri to meet with Governor Greitens to discuss the economy and jobs made a stop at the cemetery to pay respects and speak out about the issue on behalf of the administration. He said, “There is no place in America for hatred or acts of prejudice of violence or anti-semitism. I must tell you, the people of Missouri are inspiring the nation by your love and care for this place, the Jewish community, and I want to thank you for that inspiration.” Even Ivanka Trump, first daughter to the President took to Twitter to express a need for religious tolerance. Mrs. Trump converted to Judaism when she married her husband Jared Kushner in 2009.

Outside groups have also come forward with shows of support. Most notably, an online fundraiser from nonprofit Celebrate Mercy has raised over $100,000.

Celebrate Mercy’s mission is to teach people about the Prophet Muhammed and clarify misunderstandings about the Muslim community. The project to help repair the Jewish cemetery was inspired by the Constitution of Medina; a historic social contract between the Medinan Jews and the first Muslim community. The goal of the project was to send a united message to Jewish and Muslim communities; that there is no place for hate, desecration and violence in America.

In 2015, the FBI investigated a total of 664 instances of anti-semitic violence, according to data issued and updated by the FBI yearly. This figure rose significantly from the previous year in which 609 instances of anti-semitic hate crime were reported.

In this century thus far, American anti-semitism peaked during the years 2001 and 2013, where in both years there were over 1,000 reported violent instances. There is, however, much of 2017 still yet to come and, unfortunately, given that anti-Semitism in America seems only to be progressing further, it is quite possible that the United States may experience a year that is historically intolerant of Judaism.

Anaheim cop accused of misconduct DEXTER JOHN SCOTT JR. Editorial Assistant Protests erupted in Anaheim, California on Wednesday after an off-duty LAPD cop confronted a young boy of Latino descent. The altercation resulted in the cop discharging his personal firearm on Tuesday. Multiple videos of the incident have been posted to Facebook and Youtube that show 13 year old Christian Dorscht being dragged across the cop’s neighbors front lawn.

The conflict started when Dorscht and his group of friends walked across the cop’s lawn on West Palais Road, which prompted him to confront them. Dorscht and his friends claim the cop yelled at them and called one of the younger girls a “c*nt.” Dorscht then said to the cop, “I’m going to sue you,” which the cop misinterpreted as, “I’m going to shoot you.” The cop then tried to make an off duty arrest, which is legal, upon explaining he was a cop to the group of kids. He proceeded to grab Dorscht by the collar.

Dorscht and his friends were unsure of the validity of the cop’s claims because he did not have a badge. Though Dorscht resisted the officer’s hold, he was still dragged across one of the neighborhood lawns. Eventually, one of Dorscht’s friends

tackled the cop into a hedge bush, but he didn’t let go. A unnamed 15 year old teen, then, punched the cop. The cop then pulled out his concealed weapon and shot at the ground, almost hitting the 15 year old.

“When he shot he almost hit my foot,” the teen said. “Then I ran away.” Police arrived on the scene a short time after.

According to Sargent Daron Wyatt, the reaction from the cop was a result of an ongoing issue with teenagers walking across the officer’s property. It is still unclear why the officer fired his gun, but Wyatt said that the witnesses, including juveniles shown in the video, said in interviews that the officer never pointed it at anyone and they did not feel threatened.

The officer was not arrested, but Dorscht was for suspicion of threatening to shoot the officer. The 15 year old who punched the officer was also arrested for assault and battery. The officer voluntarily went to the station that same day and was processed. According to Anaheim police Chief Raul Quezada, some of his clothing was taken, his cheek was swabbed for DNA and his gun was confiscated.

Chief Quezada has expressed his displeasure with the current situation. “I wish the officer had awaited our officers’ arrival,” Quezada said. “As a father and as a police chief, I, too, am disturbed by what

Anaheim residents protest shooting of local teen I saw on the videos posted on the internet.

But as police chief, I am charged with enforcing the law.”

Due to an abundance of Anaheim residents calling for the immediate arrest of the officer, Anaheim officials have tried to assuage the community to conduct a fair investigation. LAPD Deputy Chief Michel Moore has also stated that the Los Angeles police will be doing their own investigation into the off duty cop’s actions.

With the public perception of police

AlJazeera

becoming more negative, public reaction to this event has been explosive, especially within Anaheim. Many of it’s residents took to the streets Wednesday night to protest.

Much of it is was peaceful but a small few broke off to the neighborhood where the incident took place and vandalized some of the houses. Out of approximately 1000 protesters, 24 were arrested. Police used pepper spray balls and bean bags to quell the crowd. With the investigation ongoing, the protests may continue.

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March 2, 2017

Constitutional Carry challenges gun control activists JESSICA KOVAC News Editor On Feb. 22, 2017, Republican Governor of New Hampshire Chris Sununu signed the Constitutional Carry bill into law. Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan, however, consistently vetoed the legislation, claiming it threatened public safety. Constitutional carry laws allow residents to carry a concealed handgun without a permit.

New Hampshire is the 12th state to pass this legislation into law. So far, 16 other states have introduced similar legislation.

The idea behind constitutional carry is that the only authorization gun owners need to carry is the approval given to them by the Founding Fathers. This idea was founded in the state of Arizona and has become the model that other states have come to follow. An amendment in Arizona’s 1910 state constitution says, “The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself or the State shall not be impaired.” Interestingly enough, during the writing of the Constitution, the proposed amendment which would have added “but the Legislature shall have the right to regulate the wearing of weapons to prevent crimes” after the word “impaired” in the original draft, failed by only vote.

A group of activists, now known as the Arizona Citizens Defense League, read the final amendment and could not comprehend how anyone could challenge the clarity of the message. In turn, they founded the ACDL to create the model now known as constitutional carry in 2010. The organization operates as a nonprofit, nonpartisan, volunteer effort dedicating to protecting the freedoms that are inherent in the Constitution; including, freedom of speech, freedom from unreasonable searches, and the right to bear arms.

Constitutional carry laws are seen as a restoration of gun rights — not an expansion of them. The reading of the State Constitution, in ACDL members’ minds, entitles them to carry without question. A member of the ACDL, Charles Heller, sums up that message, saying, “We decide that the Constitution means what it means.” In 2008, when the Supreme Court ruled in Heller v. District of Columbia that the right to bear arms was the right of an individual, and not a collective, pro-gun activists sought a huge victory. There was little wiggle room to interpret the right to bear arms; it was an inherent right given to any citizen.

Before the new law was passed in New Hampshire, potential gun owners had to apply for a concealed carry license with local police chiefs. It was their job to determine whether applicants were suitable. A chief critique of that process from residents was that “suitability” could be interpreted differently by any chief. Members of law enforcement, however, opposed the new law, saying that the application process in place before helped prevent the wrong people from obtaining a weapon.

Under concealed carry, anyone who can legally

Pro gun activists protest for gun rights

Washington Times obtain a gun under state and federal law can now carry it without a license in New Hampshire. State statute, however, bars convicted felons or people subject to restraining orders from possessing a gun, and under

We decide that the Constitution means what it means.

-Charles Heller Arizona Citizens Defense League member federal law, drug users, fugitives and people convicted of certain domestic violence crimes cannot access a firearm.

Proponents of Constitutional Carry laws often reference the ‘Vermont Carry’ law as a success story.

Though there is no actual law in place that people are referring to, Vermont has never had any permits, registration process or concealed carry laws. Yet, it is one of the safest states in America. The state has, however, recently passed stricter gun laws such as making it a crime for felons to possess firearms and requiring mental health professionals to report the names of individuals deemed a threat to themselves or others to a federal database. Still, in comparison with the rest of the country, their laws are extremely lax, and their crime rates are extremely low.

Proponents of constitutional carry continuously point to Vermont as proof that less control leads to less crime.

During the 2016 election, gun rights and gun safety were a contentious issue. Democratic candidate and

ABC News

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, came under fire for what appeared to be a lax approach to gun control in comparison to his opponent, Hillary Clinton. Though he favored a nationwide ban on assault weapons and nationwide background checks, he felt that other decisions such as addressing the infamous gun show loophole should be left to the states. Ben Carson, a former Republican candidate for president was also extremely outspoken about how important he felt it was to have less regulation around guns. He is most famously known for saying it would make him “much more comfortable” to know there were more guns in schools if he were a parent.

The National Rifle Association, the largest lobbying group in America that advocates for gun rights, plays a surprisingly small role in the concealed carry movement.

The growth of the concealed carry movement has been primarily through grassroots efforts. The same is true with the similar campus carry movement. “Publicly, the NRA of today now forcefully (if fancifully) decries expanded background checks as a backdoor to a national gun registry, and from there, nationwide gun confiscation,” Florida gun owner Adam Weinstein writes at The Trace.

“But its actions behind the scenes suggest that the group either regards constitutional carry as a bridge too far, or is willing to abide lawmakers who just aren’t ready to take the leap.”

Though constitutional carry laws continue to pop up across the country, there are different interpretations of the law being put in place; such as full constitutional carry versus limited constitutional carry. For example, in Oklahoma, you still have to show a photo ID proving you are a resident. In New Mexico, the weapon cannot be loaded while carrying but you can carry ammunition separate from the weapon. If it is loaded, a permit is required.

More states around the country have already proposed constitutional carry legislation. With the rights to the individual already arguably preserved in the State Constitution, leaders are left with no choice but to grant it to their constituents; regardless of whether or not they believe it positively or negatively affects public safety.

Clearly, however, there are more moderate senators and representatives who are looking towards options like limited carry in order to keep guns in the hands of the right people. Leaders in the left are looking for ways to continue implementing the use of background checks as well as placing certain limitations on potential gun owners in order to ensure their safety and the safety of others.

The use of constitutional carry further complicates the debate over gun control in the country and the future of gun rights for Americans.

ARTS

March 2, 2017

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Off-off-broadway play “Orion” is a hit AMOREENA CRISPINO Arts Editor Boy meets girl. Boy and girl fall in love. Girl says she needs space and breaks up with boy. Boy is devastated. Girl gets new boyfriend. Boy gets new girlfriend.

Girl wants boy back. Boy does not.

“Orion,” an off-off-broadway play written by Matthew McLachlan, follows four friends from college, with two of them experiencing a rough break up while the other two are getting engaged. Sam (Blake Merriman) and Gwen (Amanda Jones) dated for three years before Gwen decided she needed some space. Sam was head over heels for her and even rescinded his acceptance to Columbia University just to be with her, but she used the classic breakup line, and claimed she needed space.

Eventually, Gwen gets a new boyfriend, Mike, and their friends, Scott (Scott Brieden) and Abby (Simone Serra) are planning a wedding. Meanwhile, Sam is moping around, not packing for New York, and definitely not worrying about

how he will get there or where he will live when he gets there. After a year or so had passed, Sam gets a new girlfriend, Emma, and Gwen makes it obvious that she wants him back, so obvious that she directly asks if they would ever get back together. He shakes his head no. Gwen asks, “Orion?”

Sam responds, “Orion.”

Orion, referring to the constellation, was a word used by Sam and Gwen, meaning there was a promise being made and they meant what they said. This phrase came to be the night Sam and Gwen first met. They had gone to trivia night at the local college bar with Scott and Abby.

Their night ended at a quaint, little fountain in a park. They sat on a bench and Sam, being the science nerd that he is, pointed out all the constellations for Gwen, who was from New York and was never able to see stars.

“Orion” has a great sense of humor, but also a dramatic side. The acting was realistic and relatable. Although there were only four characters, the messages came across clearly and the actors all bonded

well on stage. The asides were planned out well and allowed the actors to connect with the audience. There was not much music, but when there was, it was nicely timed and well thought out.

One scene in particular that resonated with me and probably anyone else in the small theater, was the very last scene of the play, a flashback to the night Sam and Gwen first met. The conversation was forced at first and Sam was clearly not picking up on Gwen’s flirtatious hints. You could physically feel the awkwardness looming throughout the room. We’ve all been in these situations, where you are having a conversation with a person you are slowly getting to know and they are simply just not picking up what you’re putting down. The fact that the audience was in such an intimate place with the cast made it that much more enjoyable and engaging.

This play had a lot of messages to take away with you when you left the theater. When each of the cast members had an aside, something was said that

stood out as a life lesson. During Abby’s aside, she talked about how her mother used to tell her that the guy she will end up marrying will be more in love with her than she is with them. She mentions Scott, and how her mother’s words did not apply to this relationship. Abby realizes that you should just find someone who accepts your baggage and lets you love them as much as you can. Sam realizes that it is not uncommon for someone to only think negative thoughts about a relationship when it ends or turns sour. Another message is that most people think about the person they just ended a relationship with a lot, and they wonder if it is okay to mentally check in with the relationship to see if it will ever be rekindled. The play lets the audience know that this is indeed okay as well.

“Orion” is a romantic and relatable story not only about love, but friendship as well. It is running now through March 4 at the Studio Theatre at Theatre Row, located at 410 West 42nd Street.

Walk down the “mean streets” of Scorsese’s career DEXTER JOHN SCOTT JR. Editorial Assistant Martin Scorsese is a name that holds weight in not just the film community, but in American pop culture as a whole. As one of the forefathers of the New Hollywood movement that included the likes of George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and Francis Ford Coppola, Scorsese has separated himself from the pack with his films that emphasize many universal and complex themes. Themes of religion, belief, family, brotherhood, violence, and blurred lines between criminal and human are seen in all of his films. With themes as complex as these, film buffs feel the need to examine his films deeply.

One place to do this is at the Museum of Moving Image, which is currently holding an exhibition and retrospective on his career and life. The exhibition has many items from his childhood giving insight into certain inspirations for

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his films. For example, one of the items is a box filled with his m a n y s m a l l r e c o r d s t h a t Scorsese started collecting at 11-years-old. Many of those records held the songs that Scorsese meticulously places in his films.

As a hardcore Scorsese fan, seeing items that have significance to him and his family pictures gives museum goers a deeper insight into where his vision comes from and humanizes him. A wall in the exhibit is dedicated to his older brother and his relationship with him. They had a typical big brother/little brother relationship filled with admiration, love, and a little jealousy. To make a direct correlation between his relationship with his brother and his films, scenes that emphasized the theme of brothers from Raging Bull and Casino are projected on the wall. One way that Scorsese showed this in his films was through his pairing of Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in brother-like roles.

The exhibit also has many of his shooting scripts and notes on various aspects of his films. Scorsese is known for taking extensive notes to keep his ideas together during the shoot, which is why he is so in control of his films. This was one of the best parts of the exhibit, but, ultimately, the best part was the editing portion.

Anybody who really enjoys Scorsese’s films knows that his films wouldn’t be nearly as sharp if it wasn’t for his right-hand person, close friend, and editor Thelma Schoonmaker. With that in mind, it would have been a travesty for the exhibit to forget about her and her work, and it’s great that they didn’t.

This exhibit provides a deep insight into the career of one of the greatest directors to ever live and it is a must see for any true Scorsese fan.

Re tro

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March 2, 2017

STUDENT SERVICE INITIATIVE

EDITORIAL BOARD Maximilliano Onofre Editor in Chief Chase Ballas Executive Editor Sarah Hartzell Executive Editor Jessica Kovac News Editor Amoreena Crispino Arts Editor Katrina Alonso Features Editor Adam Manfredi Graphic Design Nathan Siegel Social Media Dexter John Scott Jr. Editorial Assistant

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.

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

University tries to “make it happen” Administrative offices aim to improve customer service KATRINA ALONSO Features Editor “You have to go to OSA” is a phrase that strikes fear into the hearts of University students. OSA’s terrible reputation is, at this point, just another facet of the University’s culture: The glass room next to the library is called The Fishbowl, no able-bodied person should take the main elevators up one flight, and OSA will ruin your day.

The animosity towards the Office of Student Assistance stems from its wait lines that can sometimes stretch to the front entrance of One Pace Plaza, its often apathetic staff, and its proclivity to hinder rather than assist. In a survey conducted by the Pace Press, 49% of University students have admitted to having a bad experience at OSA or Financial Aid. University sophomore Chelsey Smith described her experience, saying, “The lack of communication between OSA and Financial Aid is astounding. There have been several occasions where I’ll visit OSA and they’ll tell me it’s a Financial Aid issue, and then I’ll visit Financial Aid and they’ll tell me it’s an OSA issue. Also, the two offices never seem to share any information, which is very counterproductive.”

Students Sydney Davis and Alexander Herranz Gonzalez had similar experiences; they both had to wait in line for OSA, only to be sent away because the people who could help them were in a different office.

The University is now well aware of how inefficient students find how student-facing administrative departments like OSA and Financial Aid. In fact, Phyllis Mooney, executive director of Career Services, said, “We were looking at surveys from students that left and transferred to other schools. Each department was talking about the feedback they get from students and their services and some of the issues they’ve had in the past.

Listening to all this, there’s one common thing here: it’s

student service, or customer service.”

Mooney was invited to lead an initiative, which is now called “I Make It Happen.” The initiative’s main objective is to raise retention rates by improving customer service within OSA, Financial Aid, Admissions, Career Services, the Center for Academic Excellence, Student Affairs, and the Dean for Students. “I Make It Happen” is a project that will affect both the New York City and Pleasantville campuses of the University, and it has already started.

The pilot, or the first phase of training, began in August 2016. “All of the heads of the departments and managers of [the aforementioned] departments went through eight hours of training on customer service for higher education, and then everybody else started in August, September and October and went through hours of training on customer service basics,” said Mooney. The University brought in a professional from the hospitality and tourism industry to assist the training group to apply the hospitality industry’s model to higher education.

Part of the strategy of “I Make It Happen” is to “establish and sustain a culture which ensures a high level of quality regarding student interactions with Pace administrative offices,” according to Mooney’s presentation. One of the training modules they used on the pilot group developed a set of service values and standards by which administrative staff must abide. Each service value, five in total, delineate actions that employees must take on the job as individuals, and actions that each office as a whole must take as well. (see table at the bottom of Page 7) The five service values are Accessible, Respectful, Professional, Accountable, and Proactive. Mooney noted, “These are the standards that we’ve identified that are the most pressing. That doesn’t mean that these standards are

continued on PAGE 7 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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STUDENT SERVICE INITIATIVE continued from PAGE 6 the only standards that apply, but what it means is important, because based on student feedback that we’ve gotten in the past few years, this is where a number of departments were tripping up on.”

In the survey conducted by the Pace Press, students also gave their suggestions as to how student-facing administrative departments like OSA and Financial Aid can improve their service. The various answers can be boiled down to the following: keep the staff well-informed on standard procedures and available resources, encourage faster service to cut down on wait times, and be clearer about the services offered by each office.

The launch of “I Make It Happen” went very well, according to Mooney. A total of 182 staff members participated in the project and completed training, and department leaders were left with a “tool kit” to address immediate-action items.

Of the staff participants, “99% felt this initiative would be beneficial to Pace, with 78% in strong agreement,” Mooney’s presentation states. Some quotes from leaders and participants Mooney included in her presentation were: “This is really going to help me in my training student workers,” and “I love the H.E.A.T.! I’m going to go to my desk right now and start using it.” None of these quotes include attributions.

The H.E.A.T. that one participant referred to is a formula staff members are supposed to use to address a student’s problems. The staff member has to Hear them out, Empathize with the situation, Apologize for any mistakes the staff member may have committed, and Take action to fix the situation.

In the Pace Press’s survey, eight separate students said that they took issue with the attitude of certain staff members. “Not only was I given extremely incorrect information, the gentleman helping me was very rude and was not hesitant to ‘shush’ me and cut me off as I was speaking,” said student Carly Cottle.

Considering that “I Make It Happen” was put into motion before last semester, it seems as though the project has been ineffective.

54% of students surveyed said they had not noticed a change in any of the affected offices since spring of 2016. The 20% who had noticed changes mostly cited an improvement in attitude. University student Taylor Cannon said, “There have been positive changes. Everyone is friendlier and more willing to help students.”

People also noticed that the lines are shorter these days, which is probably due to the staff members who try to help people in the line. “I have noticed that the staff from OSA would go out to the line of students and asked them if they needed help. If it was something easy or quick to do, then they would help them right there,” said student Angelica Ortiz.

At the moment, the next phase of “I Make It Happen” is still in the works.

According to Mooney, the people involved in organizing the initiative are in the middle of creating subcommittees to be able to tackle each aspect of the project separately, one of which is made up of students who will give the other subcommittees feedback. Proposals for budgets and committee actions will be submitted by the end of the month. Until then, students will make do with the current quality of service at those administrative offices.

Service Value

Have you ever had a bad experience at OSA, Financial Aid, Admissions, Career Services, the Center for Academic Excellence, the Dean for Students, or with Student Affairs?

Have you noticed a change at any of these offices since the Spring 2016 semester?

Employee Standards

Office Standards

1. Accessible

I will acknowledge receipt of all student calls and emails within one business day and include a proposed resolution/response timeframe for those issues that cannot be resolved immediately.

Our office will be open for a minimum of eight hours based on a set, consistent, and published schedule each day the University is open, with a person available to greet students and answer the phones during these hours.

2. Respectful

In all interactions with students, I will demonstrate empathy, patience, kindness, and an embrace of different cultural values.

We will develop and implement process improvements to continually reduce student wait times for services.

3. Professional

I will proudly wear a Pace name tag that indicates my name and department.

All employees in this office will complete training and receive the Pace University Student Service Certificate.

4. Accountable

I will integrate student service standards into my performance goals each year with specific measurable targets.

We will integrate student service standards into our annual Strategic Plan departmental goals with measurable targets.

5. Proactive

I will personally redirect issues unrelated to my area, We will constantly solicit feedback regarding and follow up with the student within 24 hours to our services using a point of service assessment confirm resolution status. tool, and use the data to celebrate successes and address challenges

ARTS

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March 2, 2017

Peele tells racism to “Get Out” DEXTER JOHN SCOTT JR. Editorial Assistant Being a black person with white friends or a white significant is always tricky. One of the worst parts is interacting with their white family members or friends. For instance, your white friends who live in the suburbs will often invite you to their homes where you will, inevitably, meet their parents and friends. Now, I know from personal experience that these interactions can be the most anxiety inducing experiences you can have.

Imagine it. Standing in a backyard that leads directly into the woods while one of their friends ask you if you have ever heard of G-Eazy. Another friend tries to convince you that Macklemore’s “The Heist” is the best rap album of the past five years. I mean, “Thrift Shop” was just so relatable. Another friend tells you about urban legend sacrifices in the woods. There is a fire pit that they keep adding wood and lighter fuel to while gleefully laughing. A constant flow of illegal fireworks being lit and thrown around with reckless abandon. Throughout all of this, there are two things you may be thinking: 1.

Who is G-Eazy? and 2. That fire is way too big to be just for warmth, is it for me? You laugh off this thought of paranoia, but it never really leaves your mind.

Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” takes that thought and makes it a reality, with great results.

Described as a horror comedy, it stands up on its own as a new original horror film, cementing its place in this post-modern horror era. With its use of racism as a monster, it becomes a horror film that reaches past it’s horror conventions. As the story unfolds, the audience is put in the shoes of a black man that is trying to fit in with his girlfriend’s white family.

The premise is where the theme of racism is explored. When Chris, a black man, and his white girlfriend, Rose, decide to visit her parents, he immediately feels out of place. His girlfriend’s parents are awkward around him, making statements about how they would have voted for President Obama for a third term. The presence of their black gardener and housekeeper also make him uncomfortable due their aggressive attitude that is reminiscent of minstrel actors. However, the horrors really start to reveal themselves when Rose’s mom hypnotizes him to make him stop smoking. From there, the film is a thrill ride that makes you think about how racism can also exist past the polite exterior of some white people.

Jordan Peele becomes a real auteur that’s not afraid to take risks in this film by both calling out his white audience and providing insight into the mind of black people living in America. Throughout the film, Peele is calling intention the subconscious racism, while using the conscious racism as the monster. Before it is all revealed to him, the white characters are trying to be polite to him to show him they are not bad. But in doing so, they are being racist. For example, when his girlfriend’s family has a party, he is introduced to many of the partygoers. During this montage, one older white man tries to relate to him with golf by saying that he knows Tiger Woods.

On one hand it seems like the man is just trying to relate to him, but it’s really a micro-aggression. He is trying to relate to him through a famous black person. This implies that he only sees him as black and not a human man. In these moments, the movie becomes an examination of white progressives. This is where the film shines bright.

Peele has made a film that speaks to black people who have been scared around white people, which is most, if not all of us. It is a post-modern horror masterpiece and ingenious examination of racism.

Slate

Hollywood Reporter

Cullin Tobin

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March 2, 2017

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“Before I Fall” falls flat AMOREENA CRISPINO Arts Editor Based on the novel by Lauren Oliver, “Before I Fall,” entering theaters Mar. 3, is another take on a dramatic film where each day repeats itself and the main character realizes that they have to become a better person. This movie is part “If I Stay,” part “Source Code,” and part Disney Channel Original Movie, “16 Wishes.”

At the start of the movie, Sam Kingston, (Zoey Deutch), and her three friends are living their best lives, being popular, having perfect boyfriends, and showing their status by picking on the "weird" girl at school.

Sam doesn't pay any attention to her parents or younger sister, who desperately wants to spend time with her.

Yahoo She only cares about her friends, making high school memories that last forever, and finally losing her virginity to her egotistical boyfriend, Rob (Kian Lawley)..

Following her death in a car accident, Sam keeps living the same day over and over again. Each day she realizes something new she has to do to stop the endless cycle and obtain peace between all the people in her life.

As the start of the same day comes around, Sam wakes up in a panic, staring at the origami bird sitting on her bed that her sister made her.

Although this movie is similar to others that have come before it, this film is extremely relatable, especially for young adults. The relationship between Sam and her

cast. Along with Deutch and Lawley, who became famous from his YouTube and Vine channel, there is Diego Boneta, Logan Miller, Halston Sage, Erica Tremblay as Sam’s adorable little sister, Izzy, and many more. Deutch, recently known for “Why Him?” and “Dirty Grandpa,” is a very versatile actress and can play many different roles very well.

This film focuses on the idea of only having today and not knowing if tomorrow will ever come.

When Sam starts reliving the same day after the car crash, she realizes she needs to start fixing the life she left behind. In order to do this, she’s nicer to her parents, she skips school with her sister and spends the day with her, she breaks up with her jerk of a boyfriend, she finally pays attention to Kent, her friend from third grade who has liked her ever since, and she saves the weird girl from committing suicide.

Once Sam completes these actions, the same day Sam (Zoey Deutch) and friends at party in “Before I Fall” stops repeating itself and life goes on, without her.

Although sad, repetitive, friends seems very realistic and light-hearted, what you and probably unoriginal, this film is entertaining and would picture high school girls to be like. The topics of good way to clear your mind. It makes you appreciate conversations range from parties happening that night, all of the blessings in your life and sends the message to expanding your relationship with your boyfriend, and do everything the right way the first time, because not wondering who sent you roses for Valentine’s Day. everyone gets second, third, fourth, or even fifth chances.

This movie is mostly relatable because of the talented

American Girl releases first boy doll, Logan NATHAN SIEGEL Social Media Logan is a trendy hipster with shaggy brown hair and tight dark-wash jeans. He’s a drummer in the local garage band and he seems pretty chill.

Oh yeah, and he’s a 13-inch American Girl doll.

Logan was released on Thursday Feb. 16 and hit all American Girl stores with his plaid shirt and drum set. The company decided to finally create a boy doll, not only to please long-time fans, but also to defy all stereotypes of masculinity.

Mattel’s American Girl division is famous for their girl dolls. There’s been bookworm Samantha, prim and proper with a secret passion for climbing trees, settler Kirsten Larson, who immigrated to America in the 1800s, and of course, Felicity, the well accessorized colonist who struggled with her stance on the political ramifications of the Revolutionary War. Among countless other high-priced American Girls, hailing from various times in American history, white, black, Asian, Native-American, and Latina girls (no Indian or Middle Eastern dolls have been released) have been loved and costumed by girls and boys from Atlanta to Albany. Here, in our very own city of New York, the American Girl Doll Store resides on the ritzy Fifth Avenue and offers upscale clothing options for the dolls along with obligatory cafes and doll hair salons.

Although costly, the American Girl doll is one of the few physical toys for children that has not yet given way to the growing popularity of Nintendo and iPods. Now, American Girl has launched a doll that has sent heads spinning: Logan, the aforementioned rocker boy, and first male American Girl doll to join Samantha, Kirsten, and Felicity on the shelves.

Seemingly, reactions to American Girls’ decisions have been rather political. Adults, concerned with the children’s

New York Times

toy industry are either happy with the brand’s progressive choice or furious with Logan’s arrival. Particularly, pastor Keith Ogden from North Carolina, is strongly opposed to the new doll. “There is a message across America now where they want to emasculate young boys,” according to Rev. Ogden, a pastor at Hill Street Baptist Church in Asheville, NC. Despite this comment, Mattel’s goal is not to strip young men from their masculinity. In the everchanging times, the company is adapting to the slowly dissolving boundaries of gender, accepting that dolls are not strictly a girls’ toy; there is simply no reason not to represent boys in their products, whether boys or girls are choosing to buy them. The antiquated idea that boys are to play with “boy” toys and girls with “girl” toys (like American Girls) is an idea of the past, and gives children the idea that they must begin their toddler lives by conforming to gender expectation. This ideology leads to bullying and judgment when young children stray from the “toy guidelines.” Mattel has no intention of “emasculating” or forcing boys to play with dolls, but is taking a step in the direction of recognizing that masculinity and femininity are not as strict as they once were, and that the first step toward making a change is showing acceptance and breaking gender norms.

Logan serves the same purpose as Samantha, the bookworm from 1910, Kirsten the pilgrim from the 1850s, or Felicity the colonist from the 1700s. Each showcases a time in history throughout their accompanying books, films, and accessories. Logan is the band member from 2017, a symbol of the ever-changing American landscape in today’s day in age. Sure, Logan is made of silicone, but what he stands for is a step in the right direction for destroying gender stereotypes.

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March 2, 2017

School for the summer

A look into how effective summer sessions really are NICKI KERN Contributor Summer sessions are a great way for students to stay on track for graduation.

The courses offered tend to be lower level or introductory, so they are not the best way for students to get ahead on their major requirements, but they could still take these classes to beef up their AOKs and electives.

For some, taking classes during summer sessions is convenient because they can make the most out of their summer break and get ahead of their credit requirements. For others, the benefits are not so cut and dry. Bansi Bhatt, a representative at OSA, said, “It’s convenient for students. They’re able to do it without having a full course load. But it can be a bit daunting because classes are reduced in the time that you have to complete work.”

There are four separate Summer Sessions that students can register for, all occurring in a far more condensed timeline than the Fall or Spring semesters. Early Summer I is three weeks, Summer I and II are six weeks each, and Late Summer II is four weeks long. Bhatt advises students weigh the restricted timeframe against their desire to get ahead in their coursework and make the decision from there. While there is technically no limit on the number of courses that students can register for, the University recommends not exceeding two courses in any given session.

The workload is not the only thing keeping students from filling up their summer schedules.

University sophomore Jay Bradford said they are interested in enrolling in a summer session, but certain circumstances held them back. “I would definitely consider taking summer courses, but I don’t know enough about financial aid. The only reason I wouldn’t take them would be because of the money,” they said.Summer session courses cost $946 per credit, meaning that just one three-credit course during one session would cost close to $3,000.

The University does, however, offer a bit of a deal available only to undergraduate students: if you register for at least one three-credit Summer I course, you will receive $500 off a three-credit course.

According to the University website, financial aid is available for summer courses based on the previous year’s FAFSA filings. Students are required to be enrolled in at least six credits to receive aid. This is likely to mean registering for

two courses in one session, which could be overwhelming for some students. It is also worth mentioning that borrowing money for a summer session could affect the amount of aid students are able to receive during the next academic year.

In order to guarantee financial aid, the University recommends turning in all required documentation, including a specific summer financial aid application

by March 24. This means decisions on summer courses might need to be made quickly.

Students should also be aware that “university scholarships, grants and awards are not available for summer sessions,” according to the website. That means that any financial support students can receive has to come from state or federal grants and loans, or scholarships obtained from outside the University. Anyone who cannot get financial aid through these avenues

will have to pay a hefty sum out of pocket.

A possible advantage to consider is the option for summer housing through the University. Students who might be looking for summer work or internships could expand their search by guaranteeing themselves University housing for the summer. Someone who needs or wants to stay in the city during the summer but cannot find other living accommodations could register for just one course during the summer sessions that best fit their timeframe and not have to worry about scrambling to find a good apartment.

University summer housing adds another hefty cost to the bill. Summer housing is available in 182 Broadway for $3,560 per resident per session. The building itself is nice, but the housing alone more than doubles the bill for just one summer session. University sophomore Christina Thomas says, “It would make more sense for me to stay home and take the class online [from the University] or go to a local college.”

The University does offer many online options for summer classes, so students do not even have to be in New York City if they are not able to make the trip.

But between the high price for credits, the intensive timeframe in which the classes take place, and the limits on financial aid, summer classes may not be worth it for most students. The only real benefits are staying on track to graduate in four years, and the option for housing if someone is in dire need of a place to stay.

More information is available on the University website under Instagram / Pace University “Current Pace Summer Students.”

Save a dog from a “ruff ” life SARAH HARTZELL Co-Executive Editor Effective this month, San Francisco will no longer allow the sale of dogs and cats that are not from shelters or rescue organizations. The law passed by the city’s Board of Supervisors is part of a larger effort to eradicate “puppy mills,” or for-profit pet breeders that are often unregulated and operate under abusive conditions. Similar laws have been passed in cities in 17 states, but New York City has yet to pass such a prohibition.

Fortunately, New York has a thriving network of animal shelters and rescue organizations working to combat these breeders. If you’re lucky enough to live in a petfriendly apartment—and responsible enough to remember to feed and walk it—there are furry friends around the city looking for loving homes.

Badass Brooklyn Animal Rescue, in their own words, are “saving badass dogs from idiot humans” through a network of fosters and volunteers who save dogs from high kill shelters in the South. Located in (expectedly) Brooklyn, they frequently hold adoption events around the city and have rescued and found homes for over 1,300 dogs since 2011. All of their dogs are named after famous people and characters who somehow perfectly fit their personalities, like a black lab named Andy Dwyer and a hound mix named Harrison Ford.

Social Tees Animal Rescue in the East Village has rescued and rehabilitated over 3,000 dogs, cats, birds, and “exotics” since 1991. All their dogs are neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped, and they have special programs for sick, injured, and special needs dogs and cats (called Underdogs & Undercats); for senior animals (called GrandPaws); and for pregnant animals and new moms (called the Mutternity Ward); and reptiles like turtles, lizards, and snake (called Fang & Claw). They hold adoption events every Sunday at Petco in Union Square and every Saturday in the East Village.

Bideawee has been placing pets in forever homes for 114 years. Their “matchmakers”

work to pair pets and owners based on compatible personalities and lifestyles. Serving New York City and Long Island, Bideawee also operates animal hospitals and pet memorial parks. Bideawee has several pet therapy programs, like the Reading to Dogs program to help learn to read confidently with a non-judgemental audience.

Located just a few minutes from the University, Animal Haven Shelter works to “enhance the bond between animals and people.” In addition to adopting dogs and cats, Animal Haven partners with the Humane Education Advocates Reaching Teachers to create the Caring Kids program, which educates children about animal welfare.

Puppies up for adoption at Bideawee

TimeOut

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March 2, 2017

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University professors talk Trump’s immigration ban ROMAN CHIARELLO Contributor In light of the Trump administration’s recent travel restrictions and immigration-related executive orders, the University held an information seminar titled “Immigration Bans Past and Present: Communities, Contexts, Controversies.” The seminar explored immigration bans in the past and how these bans could be connected to current policies. Professors Ron Frank, Bill Offutt, Barbara Blumberg, and Glenn Miller presented information and fielded questions.

Professor Frank began by discussing a case of discrimination in 1930s Germany. He outlined a series of laws passed that were designed to oppress people of nonAryan descent. The first was the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service. It was passed in April 1933, when Adolf Hitler was the chancellor of Germany, and banned anyone from working in civil service jobs unless they could provide documentation that they were of the Aryan race. Passed four months later, the Law against the Overcrowding of German Schools and Universities limited the number of non-Aryan students that could attend these institutions. Next, the Reich Citizenship Law was passed in September 1935. It banned marriage between Aryan and non-Aryan people. These, and other laws, continued to be passed over the years, ultimately contributing to Hitler’s ascent to Führer.

The discussion then transitioned to examples in American history, as explained by Professor Offutt.

Offutt discussed two overarching themes of immigration restrictions: whom to allow into the country based on ethnicity or national origin, and the political or religious ideals of those being allowed in. He often stated that most immigration restrictions involve a juxtaposition of

these two themes. This juxtaposition is exemplified in the Chinese Exclusion Act, which was first passed in the 1880s to exclude immigration from China but was amended to also exclude anarchists in 1903. Offutt also presented statistics about immigration in the U.S. At the peak of immigration in 1910, 15 percent of the U.S. population and 41 percent of the New York City population was comprised of immigrants. Today, those figures are 13 percent and 37 percent, respectively.

Dr. Blumberg then provided more recent examples of U.S. immigration restrictions. She began by asserting that “unfortunately, our president and his advisors do not study history, know no history, don’t want to learn any history, and the result has been that they have issued a whole series of orders that are cruel, that are ill-considered, that are unconstitutional.” She compared the current immigration restriction placed on seven Muslim-majority countries and Syrian refugees to what she called “terrible mistakes that this country made with its immigration policies” in the past. The first of these policies was the United States’ refusal to give asylum to Jewish refugees seeking to escape from the Hitler regime. Blumberg believes that this stemmed from both widespread anti-Semitism throughout the country at the time and the American citizens’ fear that foreigners will create more competition in an already difficult job market.

Dr. Blumberg’s next example took place directly after World War II. The years after the war were plagued by widespread hysteria about Japanese Americans’ involvement in the Pearl Harbor bombing. In response, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order requiring all Japanese Americans, two-thirds of whom were American-born citizens, to sell their properties and businesses within one month, report to receiving areas carrying only what they could hold, and relocate to an

internment camp until the end of the war.

One of these men, Fred Korematsu, was arrested, jailed, and sent to one of the harshest internment camps for defying the order. With the help of legal counsel from the American Civil Liberties Union, Korematsu appealed this ruling to the Supreme Court but was unsuccessful as the court sided in favor of the order. Korematsu remained in prison until the 1980s, when a Federal District Court in San Francisco found the executive order to be unconstitutional and vacated his conviction.

Finally, Glenn Miller, an immigration lawyer and adjunct professor at the University, explained the legality of immigration restrictions by examining various government documents. He stated that the Constitution grants Congress the power to establish the “uniform rule of naturalization” but that Section 212f of the Immigration and Nationality Act allows the president to restrict immigration when there is a danger to national security.

He also pointed out that, though the Secretary of State grants refugee status and the Attorney General grants terrorist status, these positions were both vacant when President Donald Trump issued his executive order.

When the discussion concluded, the panel took audience questions. One student asked whether any other groups besides the ACLU stepped in to help Korematsu fight his imprisonment. Dr. Blumberg replied, “If you get people scared enough, they will keep quiet. That’s why [these restrictions are] such a danger to our constitutional rights. If you get people scared enough, they give them up.” This implies that no other groups spoke up for fear that they might be targeted next.

Many see the state of our country as precarious, but they often do not know the full history of America and immigration. The panel offered insights to American history in order for students to form cognizant opinions.

A post-winter guide to staying indoors in the city

La Colombe

TANNER JOHNSON Contributor For New Yorkers, winter in the Big Apple does not equate to pristine beds of snow and carriage rides around Central Park. As hard as that is to believe, thanks to the misleading involvement of social media, winter in New York can be summed up as sugar, spice, and everything ice. Meanwhile, spring is on the spectrum between beautiful and nasty, with temperate 65° weather interspersed with thunderstorms flooding up the streets and pollen clogging up everyone’s sinuses.

This time of year, nostalgia hits hard for the warm days when one could have study breaks at Sheep’s Meadow, but with the unforgiving weather comes the opportunity to take advantage of the city’s unique experiences, whether you are looking for an arts and entertainment event or a quiet place to do some studying.

By downloading apps like TodayTix, indoor entertainment can be booked as soon as the day of the show for prices that will not keep you from buying groceries.

Both Broadway and Off-Broadway tickets can be purchased at discounted rates. After scrolling through the app and conducting Internet research, you might end up purchasing tickets for a show in a neighborhood theater that you had previously never heard of. By limiting your expectations regarding what you want to see and how much you’re willing to pay, the artistic possibilities that this city will offer are endless.

Every Friday and Saturday night, Cinépolis in Chelsea hosts a live-action showing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” If you are in the mood to have a drink and dance outside of sweat-infused bars and groping hands where they do not belong, take a night to enjoy this performance. There is no dress code and no pressure, so come as you are.

New York museums are technically here to educate, but with several floors of heat and clean bathrooms, the benefits outweigh those of many other pastimes. The American Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney and, a fan favorite, the Museum of Sex all offer an escape from the Geekwhat crowds and an unlimited amount of time to spend indoors.

Spending time in SoHo and its surrounding areas is an easy way to burn some time as the weather freezes everything else. La Colombe and Happy Bones are both popular coffee shops if you desire to get some homework done while in an aesthetically pleasing place. The Grey Dog, Egg Shop, The Butcher’s Daughter and Jack’s Wife Freda are all popular locations to meet your friends for brunch when pretending to study has tired you out. Besides the food, the incredibly long wait times provide customers an excuse to spend a considerable amount of time inside.

Whether you prefer flipping through books at Strand Bookstore, bowling at Chelsea Piers, or ordering in and looking for excuses to stay home, this city continues to move day and night, sun or slush. The important thing to remember is that although the walk to the subway might cause a sniffling nose or red ears, there are ways to immerse yourself into this city’s busy schedule and keep cozy at the same time.

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March 2, 2017

The psychology buzzing behind BuzzFeed KELSEY NICHOLSON Features Intern Type in “BuzzFeed is” on Google and the first searches to come up are “BuzzFeed is cancer,” “BuzzFeed is trash,” “BuzzFeed is bad,” and “BuzzFeed is fake news.” However, despite these scathing reviews, we as a society continue to visit the BuzzFeed homepage day after day, consuming mindless quizzes, cooking videos, and listicles consisting entirely of Mariah Carey gifs. BuzzFeed itself has published an article entitled “10 Steps To Becoming Addicted To BuzzFeed,” which did not stray from the gif-littered listicle format the website produces so often.

BuzzFeed was founded in 2006 and has since grown exponentially to be one of the top websites in the world, according to Salesforce, with headquarters founded in 11 countries: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Spain, France, and India. Their brand is entirely centered on quick and easy content; you click on a Facebook link to an innocent “Gilmore Girls” quiz, and twenty minutes later you’re watching a video in which BuzzFeed staff members are getting “vampire facials,” injecting their own blood back into their faces, or random employees drinking the buffalo chicken shake from “30 Rock.”

Each quiz and video you watch comes with over 100 links at the top of the screen, displaying around 12 links on the right side of the screen with another link at the bottom called “More Buzz,” boasting more pages relating to your current read, and one more linking you to whichever video is next. The whole set-up of their website entices you to continue to browse. This provides the site visits they need to stay popular and get more money from advertisers. You can also click on the employee’s icons at the top of each article and browse through all of the content they have created for the site.

BuzzFeed content also offers an escape from reality. Instead of focusing on the midterm you have next week, or the essay due tomorrow, you can lose yourself in videos of drunk adults playing with puppies or polls on which foods mayonnaise should or should not be paired with. While BuzzFeed News certainly contains respectable articles that can provide valid facts, they are lost among the cat gifs, Kardashian photos, and quizzes that fulfill our need to be categorized. This causes many readers not to see BuzzFeed as a reliable news source, and their more serious content is often ignored.

The site also provides relatable browsing content. Summer Anne Burton, the managing editorial director of BuzzFeed quizzes, explained the virility of BuzzFeed quizzes to the Huffington Post in 2014. Burton told the Huffington Post how editors duplicate the success of their more viral quizzes—such as “Which City Should You Actually Live In”—by using them as templates to keep you clicking. “I think our most successful quizzes are mostly built so that the results feel personal and that you can relate to them. The answers genuinely correspond to the results,” Burton shared.

The company also employs cool young people who dress fashionably and stay upto-date with slang phrases and pop culture. It is their whole job to cultivate this persona

BuzzFeed Offices

of an urban millennial that knows as much about Chrissy Teigen as you do. Some staff members that are fan favorites are the ones that appear in a lot of BuzzFeed-produced videos, such as Safiya Nygaard, Eugene Lee Yang, and Freddie Ransome. Viewers become attached to the people portrayed in these videos, as if they were characters on a reality television series. Viewers are usually also urged to follow their other social media accounts on Instagram and Twitter.

Many of their articles are structured to be “clickbait,” or links and pages with titles that entice you to delve further into the depths of the site. Many people will recognize the more obvious advertisements of clickbait, such as “10 Things You Never Knew About ‘La La Land’” and “This Couple Adopted an Orangutan. What Happened Next Will Warm Your Heart.” The titles are phrased to make you click on them; missing pieces of information and a chance to improve our minds or hearts causes us to read on.

While BuzzFeed’s Editor in Chief Ben Smith claimed in 2014 that BuzzFeed does not do clickbait, the official definition shows otherwise. Clickbait is officially defined as “content whose main purpose is to attract attention and encourage visitors to click on a link to a particular web page.” This certainly applies to BuzzFeed articles and videos; the knowledge gap is found in our curiosity over what happens when BuzzFeed employees try Lisa Frank-inspired makeup, or our desire to know what “Friends” character we are the most like.

In a culture where young people are entirely surrounded by social media and pop culture, BuzzFeed certainly caters to our need to be connected. And while we share and click, BuzzFeed makes a profit that ensures this site will be around for a long time.

Buzzfeed

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