Vol. 41, No. 55 moNday, september 9, 2013 nyunews.com

washiNgtoN square NewsNYU’s Daily Student Newspaper

Men, Women’s diving coach recalls former Olympic glory, coaching

daniel cole for wsn

The True presidency: while The new Yorker has written a profile of nYU President John sexton that may change opinions about him, the most im-portant issues the policies he puts in place and their ramifications.

Mayoral candidates send letter to NYU

house on pG. 7

By sydney pereira

Between Sept. 6 and 8, 1992 Olym-pic Silver Medalist and NYU Diving head coach Scott Donie coached at the Olympic Performance Squad Camp in Moultrie, Ga. Donie helped the U.S. Diving team find the best pairs for the men’s 10 meter plat-form synchronized diving event. Of the nation’s top divers, 26 attended.

Steve Foley, the high performance director for U.S. Diving, explained the other objectives of the camp.

“To assist with targeting medals, it is vital [U.S.] Diving brings together our best men’s platform divers to an assessment camp so we can mix and match our champions of the future with the aim of selecting the best part-nerships that can challenge for world and Olympic medals,” Foley said.

As one of the coaches at the Olym-pic Performance Squad Camp, Donie worked as an assessor, mentor and coach to the divers with hopes to qualify for the 2016 Olympics. His Olympic experience would help give the divers the upper hand.

“I am really looking forward to helping the young, up-and-coming

divers prepare as they pursue their Olympic dreams,” Donie said. “I was in their shoes as I came up through the sport, and I hope to give them an edge by sharing my knowledge and experience with them.”

Donie competed for almost 20 years after he began diving at 8 years old. Donie was coached by Jim Still-son, who currently coaches at South-ern Methodist University, with Ron O’Brien and Randy Ableman, who currently coaches at The University of Miami.

“I was lucky to be coached by some of the best diving coaches in the world,” Donie said. “All three [coaches] had a profound impact on me person-ally and the coach that I am today.”

While training for the 1996 Olym-pics, Donie worked as an assistant coach at the University of Miami. Eventually, he took over as head coach of the NYU men’s and women’s diving team in the 2000-2001 season.

This season is Donie’s 14th year coaching the men’s and women’s diving team.

“My career at NYU is so incredible,” Donie said. “I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with

so many great student athletes.The swim and dive team’s 2013-2014

season opens on Oct. 12 against the State University of New York at Cortland.

Sydney Pereira is a contributing writer. Email her at sports@nyunews.com.

By nicole Brown

Mayoral candidates sent a letter on Friday, Sept. 6 to NYU President John Sexton urging him and the administration to recognize graduate, research and teaching assistants’ rights to unionize.

Christine Quinn, Bill de Blasio, Bill Thompson, John Liu and Sal Albanese support the graduate workers ability to collectively bargain in their letter. Collective bargaining rights would allow them to negotiate the benefits they receive from NYU, including health care. Last academic year, there were cuts in health care for some of these employees.

“We value the contributions the university makes to our city as an institution of higher education and as an economic engine,” the letter said. “However, we find the years of delaying the rights of all graduate employ-ees to choose union representation unacceptable.”

NYU GAs, RAs and TAs are represented by the Graduate Student Organizing Committee-United Auto Workers Local 2110 Union. The union’s most recent protest occurred last May when the union delivered an open letter to Sexton. The union did not receive a response to this letter.

In response to the letter, NYU spokesman John Beck-man said this issue is more complex than what the let-ter suggests. He said last year the administration made an offer to the union, but it was rejected.

Graduate student and former TA Brady Fletc-her said the offer would exclude RAs, which is

leTTer continued on pG. 3Scott Donie competed and coached for the U.S. at the Olympics.

coUrTesY of nYU

Students hope to start university-wide legal fraternity

By Bailey evans

In an effort to create a community for pre-law stu-dents, CAS seniors Sonia Gupta and Brittany Sherman and CAS junior Ben Gilbert established Phi Alpha Del-ta, a pre-law school fraternity, at NYU.

“We found out there’s an actual pre-law fraternity, and it’s international,” Gupta said. “Everybody has it but NYU.”

The registration process, however, has been slow. To launch, clubs require approval from the CAS Student

Council Board, as well as 20 interested members.But a national chapter of PAD, said the founders,

would create an enriching professional community that is lacking. Because there is no specific pre-law track that allows students to be in the same classes, there is little opportunity for communication among like-minded students.

“For pre-business you all take the same classes, but for pre-law you can take philosophy classes, any type of

fraTerniTy continued on pG. 5

inside This issue:

fashion week sprinG/summer

2014:as nYfw continues,

stay tuned to nyunews.com for

photos and reviews of the latest shows.

oN the side comPiled BY The wsn sTaff

2 washingTon sqUare news | mondaY, sePTemBer 9, 2013 | nYUnews.com

A papier-mâché President Obama stands against the U.S. intervention in Syria.

PHOTO BY jOnaTHan Tan

sNapshot

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JONATHON DORNBUSH

Managing Editor

JORDAN MELENDREz

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Creative DirectorLYANNE NATIvIDAD

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seNior staffnews EMILY BELL, NICOLE BROWN, MICHAEL DOMANICOinvestigative kAYANA JEAN-PHILIPPEarts JEREMY GROSSMANfeatures JONATHAN kESHISHOGLOUsports FRANCISCO NAvASmultimedia JONATHAN TANcopy CASEY DALRYMPLEsocial media GENTRY BROWNsenior editors vERONICA CARCHEDI, TONY CHAU, DAN HINTON, MICHELLE LIM, STEFAN MELNYk, SAM RULLO, WICY WANG

deputy staffnews kEvIN BURNS, NEELA QADIR, BILLY RICHLING books/theater DYLAN JARRETTfilm ALEx GREENBERGERentertainment ISABEL JONESmusic JAkE FOLSOMthe highlighter blog vALERIE NELSONfeatures MARINA zHENG beauty & style ARIANA DIvALENTINOdining DANIEL YEOMsports CHRIS MARCOTRIGIANOmultimedia RACHEL kAPLAN, JOON LEEvideo ALEx LINzMEIER

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About WSN: Washington Square News (ISSN 15499389) is the student newspaper of New York University. WSN is published Monday through Thursday during NYU’s academic year, except for university holidays, vacations and exam periods.

Corrections: WSN is committed to accurate reporting. When we make errors, we do our best to correct them as quickly as possible. If you believe we have erred, contact managing editor Jordan Melendrez at managing@nyunews.com or at 212.998.4302.

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‘summer heights high’Jeremy Grossman

With the news that Australian comedian Chris Lilley is reviving his character of bratty, private-school girl Ja’mie king for his new se-ries, catch up on Lilley’s other show “Summer Heights High.” Only eight episodes long, this 2008 HBO comedy is one of the most insane-ly hilarious, unforgettable and surprisingly heartbreaking shows you’ll ever have the pleasure of watching.

‘the miNdy projeCt’ isaBel Jones

Regardless of what critics may say, “The Mindy Project” is hilarious. With A-list guest stars galore and former “The Office” star Mindy kaling, what’s not to like? The second season will include a multi-episode arc with the great James Franco. In the com-edy void that is 2013 network television, it’s worth checking out this underrated gem.

‘shame’alex GreenBerGer

Many critics at the Toronto Film Festival have pegged Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” as an early Academy Awards Best Picture front-runner, and to know what all the fuss is about before seeing it in the theater, see McQueen’s previous film, “Shame,” first. This sexually explicit and unusually moving portrait of a sex ad-dict played by Michael Fassbender is disturbing yet hard to look away from. See “Shame,” take a cold shower, then prepare for the inten-sity of “12 Years a Slave.”

‘pippiN’ dylan JarreTT

If you’re looking for high-flying circus stunts — without the loom-ing risk of actor injuries — look no further than “Pippin,” cur-rently playing at the Music Box Theatre. A revival of the ‘70s hit about a young prince looking for his purpose in life, this musical has been revamped by director Diane Paulus and given a remark-ably fresh and fantastic circus theme. The production is bright, brilliant, touching and absolutely not to be missed.

‘Newsies’valerie nelson

It earned “Best Choreography” at the 2012 Tony awards, but the dancing is only part of the magic and fun of Disney’s musical “Newsies,” playing at the Nederlander Theatre. Based on a film of the same name, the show is nearly two hours of show tunes and performances reminiscent of old-fashioned Broadway. It’s a cute story of a young group of “newsies” who form a union and strike against newspaper tycoon Joseph Pulitzer. The “David and Goliath”-type story is predictable but sweet in its familiarity.

start your semester with these entertainment gems

‘homeLaNd’ Jake folsom

The “Homeland” season two fina-le was an explosive one. Not just on the screen, but also on the Internet, spawning controversy and dozens of reaction pieces. Some say the show has spiraled into implausibility, and others ar-gue it was always that way. Wher-ever you fall on the issue, make

sure you’re caught up in time for the show’s Season Three premiere on Sept. 29.

nYUnews.com | mondaY, sePTemBer 9, 2013 | washingTon sqUare news 3

why the union did not agree. “We are not going to take the opportunity to

have rights for some, while excluding others from having the same rights to collectively bar-gain,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher added that there are other re-search institutions where RAs are union-ized, and the union believes it only makes universities more competitive.

But Beckman said the administration is not convinced that RAs should receive col-lective bargaining.

“The research conducted by RAs is typically funded by external grants, contributes to their own thesis work and directly advances their de-grees,” Beckman said. “The idea that a student’s progress towards his or her degree might be gov-erned by a collective bargaining relationship is troubling to us.”

Beckman said the administration wants to wait for the official position of the National La-bor Relations Board on which employees qualify for collective bargaining and that their position has changed three times in the last 12 years.

Fletcher said NYU does not need to wait for the NLRB’s position, as it does not have jurisdiction over the university.

“It’s a really basic right to be able to negotiate with your employer over basic things like health care,” Fletcher said.

Beckman said the administration plans to respond.

Nicole Brown is a news editor. Additional reporting by Emily Bell and Michael

Domanico. Email them at news@nyunews.com.

Letter to NYU calls for bargaining rights

leTTer continued from pG. 1

By lucas dos sanTos

The Metropolitan Transit Authority an-nounced last week it would add trains to the L subway line due to increased rider-ship. MTA spokesman kevin Ortiz said the specifics of the project were still uncertain but that the MTA hopes to increase service during peak morning hours.

“This project was only devised a few weeks ago, and has to go before the [Board of Directors] before anything is implemented,” Ortiz said.

The L, which extends from Brooklyn to the west side of Manhattan, is one of the fastest growing lines on the subway system, accord-ing to the MTA.

“We constantly monitor ridership,” Ortiz said. “It’s been rising since 1998. As far as ridership increase, there’s nothing like it.”

Mitchell Moss, director of NYU’s Walter Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management, said the L train has spurred population growth all along its path.

“Williamsburg has emerged as a major destination for arts and culture,” Moss said. “Today, Brooklyn is widely regarded as the place for young people to live. All of my grad-uate student researchers now live in Brook-lyn, and it continues to attract new start-up businesses as well.”

Rowen Darrell, a CAS senior who rides the L every day from Canarsie-Rockaway Park-way to NYU and back, said the upgraded train service is desperately needed.

“There are times when I have to fran-tically run between doors, trying to get into the train, just squeezing my way in or pushing somebody inside,” Dar-

rell said. “You don’t want to wait for the next train.”

Brooklyn resident Thomas Hill, 32, said the moderate crowd at the Bedford Avenue stop was unusual compared to the normal hordes of people.

“There’s usually tons of people here, lined up,” Hill said.

This is not the first time the MTA has upped train frequency on the L. In June 2012, the MTA announced the addition of 98 weekly round trips on the L line, an in-

crease that cost $1.7 million over the past year. However, Darrell said he has yet to see much improvement.

“The MTA likes to drag out their plans quite a bit,” Darrell said. “Hope-fully three years from now, we’ll see another increase in the number of trains. Right now, I’m not too hopeful for the L line.”

Lucas Dos Santos is a contributing writer. Email him at news@nyunews.com.

MTA plans to increase L train service

Commuters wait on the Sixth Avenue platform before boarding the L train.daniel cole for wsn

Global Network University: NYU students studying abroad

With its sites overseas, NYU is build-ing the Global Network University, which currently comprises 11 global academic centers and two portal cam-puses. The two portal campuses, NYU

Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai, have 499 and 295 students seeking degrees in those locations, respectively. At press time, the fall census for NYU’s New York campus was not available. There

are 1,532 undergraduate and graduate students studying at sites this fall oth-er than their degree-granting campus, including the global academic centers, portal campuses and NYU at Washing-

ton Square. NYUAD opened in Septem-ber 2010, and NYU Shanghai opened this fall. According to the GNU website, “over 40 percent of our undergraduates now study abroad.”

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nYUnews.com | mondaY, sePTemBer 9, 2013 | washingTon sqUare news 5

features ediTed BY JonaThan keshishoGloufeaTUres@nYUnews.com

Tisch prof’s book focuses on social media, photojournalismBy marina ZhenG

With social media platforms such as Instagram attracting over 150 million users and smartphones providing profes-sional camera quality, one can argue that anybody can be a pho-tojournalist nowadays. But if you ask Fred Ritchin, a professor of photography and imaging at the Tisch School of the Arts and for-mer picture editor at The New York Times, he’ll disagree.

In his book “Bending the Frame: Photojournalism, Documentary, and the Citizen,” which was pub-lished in June, Ritchin looks toward the future of photojournalism, and explores how people take pictures that leave marks on society.

“I think the whole point of jour-

nalism is trying to be useful to so-ciety,” Ritchin said. “So if we sim-ply get elaborate photographs of explosions and bombs, does that advance our understanding of the world? What would advance the understanding of the world?”

Photojournalism, Ritchin be-lieves, is not simply about put-ting a subject in the center of a picture. It requires streaming images together to tell a story in a way that combines all forms of media, such as sound and text.

“A photojournalist is more like a film director,” he said. “And a film director doesn’t just point a camera and say ‘here’s my film.’”

But in a world where technology is readily available, this point-and-shoot scenario is exactly what is hap-pening. The result is an abundance

of pictures circulating through the Internet, social media and more. Ritchin believes this amount is too much for society’s own good.

“If nobody filters and contextu-alizes the images, then we don’t know what they mean,” Ritchin said. “What concerns me is if we get to a point where the 21st cen-tury is the century of images. We don’t just want images.”

In this case, the less-is-more and quality-over-quantity ideolo-gies apply. In Ritchin’s book, he argues that if we can’t focus and concentrate the flow of images we have, then we have nothing to base our discussions on.

“Professor Ritchin is correct in the fact that we are inundated with images, and this conse-quently gives individual images less value,” Bayeté Ross Smith, a professor of photography at Tisch, said. “However, I don’t

think the solution is to scale back the amount of images we deal with. I believe we have to think of more sophisticated and creative ways to present these images, in order for them to res-onate more with the public.”

“It’s not necessarily good or bad that there are so many images out there,” CAS freshmen Larry Wu said. “It just means that there is a wider range of photos that could have a potential impact.”

The goal of present and future photojournalists, Ritchin believes, is to be the filters that sift through these countless images based on certain criteria. It is the ability to do so that sets a journalist apart from just another photographer.

“We should be trying to figure out on what basis we choose the 20 [images] that people should look at,” Ritchin said. “And we must do so in a logical, coherent

and transparent way.”

Marina Zheng is deputy features editor. Email her at mzheng@nyunews.com.

Bodybeautiful gallery depicts feminine ideals

By aZiZa inGram

visitors to Bodybeautiful receive a glass of wine before making their way to the show space, where a pile of debris on the floor greets the viewer, the meaning of which is initially confusing. However, it is a part of the show. Bodybeautiful, an exhibit with a mishmash of media such as video, collage, drawings and performance, is meant to explore and emphasize the ridiculous and absurd aspects of being a woman.

The exhibit was created by katya Grokhovsky, a Ukrainian im-migrant who uses her body as a medium for her art. In the video presentation, she addresses expectations of female bodies and the search for belonging. The viewer can feel Grokhovsky’s sense of claustrophobia, and they almost become trapped in the work them-selves, which contributes to the idea of being trapped in our bodies and being forced to conform to American ideals of femininity.

“This has a lot to do with being a woman in a certain body and a feel-ing of ‘I should be thinner, I should be this, I should be that’ and ‘I just can’t,’” Grokhovsky said, who has a background in fashion and dance.

“There is a feminine aspect and gender exploration aspect that ev-eryone should be able to connect with,” show curator Peter Gynd said.

Gynd worked with Grokhovsky as the season opening artist last year and returned to curate Bodybeautiful.

Grokhovsky’s work comments on the sadness and humor in all things inherently ‘feminine.’

“You should walk away with a feeling that there is no object or subject you can’t touch,” she said. “You are free to explore the darkest, deepest thoughts and emotions in any medium.”

Much of the exhibit may be confusing, but this ambiguity is Grokhovsky’s intent.

“You should walk away with questions, not answers. That is the point of art. It should start a conversation,” Grokhovsky said.

Grokhovsky’s conceptual art show will resonate with art con-noisseurs and amateurs alike.

Bodybeautiful is showing from Sept. 5 through Oct. 10. Grokhovsky will perform live Oct. 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Galerie Protégé at 197 Ninth Ave.

Aziza Ingram is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.

Fred Ritchin is a photography and imaging professor.

rachel caBiTT/wsn

Students seeking law career could

have contacts, support with

NYU fraternity

fraTerniTy continued from pG. 1

classes,” Gilbert said. “There’s no real community.”

Currently, resources for stu-dents are limited to the pre-law society and an undergraduate law society, said Gupta. And they fo-cus more on what it takes to be pre-law, not how to do it.

Applying to law school could be daunting, said the founders, and PAD wants to help students allevi-ate that stress.

“An alumni network for the un-dergraduates would give mentors and connections… [and] career opportunities beyond law school,” CAS pre-law freshman Simone Leiro said. “Being surrounded by people who are on the same path as you could offer a support sys-tem.”

In order to create the kind of community they are looking for, Gilbert is reaching out to po-tential members and other law schools via Twitter and Facebook.

Bailey Evans is a contributing writer. Email her at features@nyunews.com.

Phi Alpha Delta is the world’s largest co-ed law fraternity.

via Pad.org

Grokhovsky’s gallery intends to confuse to spark discussion.coUrTesY of galerie ProTégé

6 washingTon sqUare news | mondaY, sePTemBer 9, 2013 | nYUnews.com

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wsn welcomes letters to the editor, opinion pieces and articles rel-evant to the nYU community, or in response to articles. letters should be less than 450 words. all submissions must be typed or emailed and must include the author’s name, address and phone number. members of the nYU community must include a year and school or job title.

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environmenTal policy

NYC should enact stricter plastic bag policy

U.S. abuses Geneva Convention loopholesinTernaTional law

nYUnews.com | mondaY, sePTemBer 9, 2013 | washingTon sqUare news 7

opiNioNediTed BY raquel woodruffoPinion@nYUnews.com

ediTorial Board: raquel woodruff (chair),

edward radzivilovskiy (co-chair), Peter Keffer (co-chair).

Email the WSN Editorial Board at editboard@nyunews.com.

By peTer keffer

Following the March 2013 transition of the Parwan detention facility at Ba-gram Air Base from American hands to Afghani ones, interviews conducted by the Afghan Analysts Network of ex-detainees have suggested that very few significant changes have been made within the prison. The United States still appears to be in an administrative role and retains the authority to inter-rogate prisoners. The interviews also claim the existence of a U.S.-controlled site known as Tor Jail, where prison-ers are held for interrogation and are allegedly subjected to arbitrary sleep deprivation before transfer to Bagram. The method by which the Department of Defense has responded to these al-legations has indicated a distinct shift in how the United States justifies state practice and shows an implicit growing concern for international law.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. Todd Breasseale told AAN that the United States has “a num-ber of locations which are classified for obvious security reasons, for transiting and screening, which, as you know, is recognized and specifically mentioned by Geneva, but they are not undisclosed or ‘secret.’” Breasseale’s appeal to the

Geneva Convention marks an anomaly in U.S. rhetoric when accused of illegal-ity in its treatment of prisoners and the existence of classified sites. Rather than being dismissed as non-applicable, the administration has employed the Con-vention to justify the existence of Tor Jail by insisting it is merely a place for transiting and screening prisoners — a claim nevertheless negated by the ex-detainee accounts.

A decade ago executive powers in Washington D.C. maintained — falsely — that the detainees of Guantánamo Bay were not entitled to any of the pro-tections of the Geneva Conventions.

The rationale of the Bush administra-tion is a far cry from today’s justification.

The interviews within the AAN re-port, however, expose today’s justifica-tion as a legal shield to hide the conduct which the Convention prohibits. The reports include one particularly expos-ing ex-detainee interview — “There was a camera on my face and … when-ever I closed my eyes, they would come

very fast … and shout at me.” Such an account satisfies definitions of “cruel, inhuman or degrading” punishments under both the Geneva Convention and the Convention Against Torture. Both documents bear American signa-tures. Yet, despite all of this American ink, the signatory has yet to accept the necessary international jurisdiction, and hence all possible accountability for alleged violations. Regardless, a lack of legal liability does not negate the ex-istence of these alleged crimes nor the guilt which they accompany.

The United States’ distinctive immu-nity is not a permanent one. A Depart-ment of Defense spokesman has made a case pursuant to the Geneva Conven-tion. This is an implicit recognition that there is a compelling need to begin justifying state practice in reference to human rights law. Breasseale’s justifica-tion is evidence of a trajectory toward a world where the concept of interna-tional justice encompasses the world’s leading powers.

*The original version of this column ap-peared in Peter Keffer’s blog on Aug. 21, 2013

Peter Keffer is a deputy opinion editor. Email him at pkeffer@nyunews.com.

By harry Brown

As the school year continues, the in-evitable trip to Staples serves as a ritual pastime. However, when taking their plastic bags from the checkout, many customers fail to recognize what a con-troversial act this is. Currently going through the City Council is a bill aimed directly at the overuse of plastic bags in New York City, pitting business leaders squarely against environmental activ-ists.

It has long been recognized that the plastic bag is detrimental to the environment. Taking centuries to de-compose, plastic bags have been dev-astating marine settings and taking up landfill space for generations. New Yorkers alone use over 5.2 billion plas-tic bags every year.

In the last decade, cities across the globe, including Mumbai, Mexico City and Seattle, have adopted legislation to combat this unnecessary environ-mental disaster. They have cultivated a bring-your-own-bag culture, using shrewd policies such as hiding plastic bags out of public view and giving in-centives for customers who bring their own.

New York is missing on this list. For

a city and mayor known for their quick adoption of progressive environmen-tal and health issues — from banning trans fats in restaurants to prohibiting smoking in all commercial areas — this city lags far behind others in improving the state of the shopping bag. Accord-ing to Wal-Mart, the largest retailer to back BYOB since late 2007, if every per-son in New York City used just one less grocery bag per year, it would reduce waste by 125,000 pounds per year.

However, countless reform attempts over the years have been stymied by business and consumer concerns. Af-ter the last failed attempt at reform in 2008 by Mayor Bloomberg, two City Council members, Margaret Chin and Brad Lander, have decided to co-spon-sor a bill, which would introduce a 10 cent minimum charge on each bag used. The bill intends to curb the city’s ever-increasing demand for plastic bags in hopes of encouraging consumers to

switch tack and buy a reusable bag. Of course, local business leaders have

come out in masses to protest against another green initiative. However, the environmental benefits clearly out-weigh business concerns. Looking west as an example, San Francisco’s Office of Economic Analysis released a study shortly before the city’s introduction of the ban on plastic bags. The study dem-onstrated that retailers are the primary beneficiaries, as it directly reduces their overhead costs and gives them the op-portunity of providing alternative reus-able bags. In addition, New York City spends approximately $10 million a year on moving plastic bags to landfills, which could better be utilized else-where if consumers switched to a sus-tainable alternative.

The plastic bag has been synonymous with shopping since its incarnation. It has become a blight on the eco-friendly city Bloomberg is so keen to portray New York as to the world. It is now time to rip the connection between the plas-tic bag and shopping. Chin and Land-er’s bill is a step in the right direction, but more can, and should, be done.

Harry Brown is a contributing columnist. Email him at opinion@nyunews.com.

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