Vol. XLVII No. 7 FREE http://pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu November 2008

“ANYONE WHO STILL DOUBTS... TONIGHT IS YOUR ANSWER!”

Emmanuel Dnand • Getty Images

INDEX FEATURE NEWS FEATURE ARTS News...... 2-5 Editorial...... 6 York Pulitzer Rival Hidden Art Analysis...... 7 Marches for Play Phones Discovered Arts & Entertainment....10-11 the Cure writer Fight It on Campus Visits Out Features...... 12 York Sports...... 15-16 PAGE 12 PAGE 5 PAGE 12 PAGE 10 News pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu Ward Speaks at Leadership Breakfast

By Mehrunnisa Wani “I think the bigger problem Reporter for us is less the financial mar- neering, Mathematics & Aero- ket and more the growing costs space Academy (SEMAA), a As part of the York Col- of the projects we are currently program to engage underrep- lege Executive Leadership working on,” said Ward. “Ground resented children between the Breakfast series, Christopher zero is now going to be over 1.5 ages of 8 and 14 in science O.Ward, the executive director billion dollars of the original es- and mathematics-serving as a of the Port Authority of New timates, we are going to have to gateway into the Bachelor of York and New Jersey was the work our capital plan within that Science program in aviation featured speaker at a program envelope.” management. titled, “The Urban Machine in Unlike institutions that rely Meeks urged the audience to the 21st Century,” on Oct. 10. directly on tax revenues, Port Au- invest in York College, saying, Introduced by U.S. Con- thority operations are funded by “This is the best time to give to gressmen Gregory Meeks as, fares and tolls that are collected this institution, the future is in “A man of the people and for are reapplied into the system. the hands of this youth.” the people,” Ward began his “We are not in the derivatives Keizs addressed the students presentation by displaying im- market nor are we in secondary with a similar message. ages of major highways and mortgage markets,” said Ward. “This is your job to imagine bridges in the past, followed by Unlike many other entities and then work at the solutions some of the more modern state- such as the MTA which is facing a that people of our generation of-the-art rail systems, tunnels, financial crisis, the Port Authority frankly cannot even wrap our and terminals is not being drastically affected by brains around,” Keizs said. Following that, he addressed the economic decline. But, Ward As part of the College’s ini- a growing concern to all Amer- noted that the “Port Authority tiative to further partnerships, icans--the deterioration of the must develop better connections Julianna Hutson • Pandora’s Box the Executive Leadership global economy. and partnerships with the interna- Executive Director Christopher Ward speaks to student about Aviation and, the breakfast series was developed After mentioning the Port tional market.” economy, and the environment to bring students together with Authority’s current plans to Toward the conclusion of the distinguished policy makers, spend $29 billion on capital presentation Ward held a brief Port Authority. various other sources. business leaders and academic projects over the next 10 years, question and answer session ad- Thanks to its successful re- Meeks, who has been cru- professionals. In addition to Ward joked, “The most startling dressing issues such as air traffic lationship with the Port Author- cial in the development of Congressman Meeks, other thing about the Port Authority control, noise reduction, the relief ity, the Bachelor of Science in the Aviation Institute as well guests at the Oct. 10 event now that I have become execu- of congestion and better connec- Aviation Management, now in as contributing to the Col- included Queens Borough tive director is that $29 billion tivity within the mass transit sys- its fifth year, continues to thrive lege as a whole, spoke briefly President Helen Marshall, and doesn’t buy very much.” tem. with approximately 70 students about the advancement and students from The Bronx Aero- But despite the plummeting The event was co-sponsored enrolled. growth of York over the past space Academy High School, economy, Ward assured the au- by York College President Marcia Other avenues of funding few years under Keizs’ lead- who work in conjunction with dience that the Port Authority is V. Keizs and the CUNY Aviation and support have come from ership. 203831A01 York students. secure, and has thus far suffered Institute, which is funded in part Jet Blue, American Airlines, in Meeks assisted in the only a small financial hit. through a major grant from the addition to scholarships from creation of Science, Engi-

An Historic Election in a Time of National Crisis: Challenges and Opportunities

A Post Election Forum Thursday, November 13, 12:00 – 2:00 PM “He’s a very Lobby of the Performing Arts Center Panelists: articulate Katrina vanden Heuval, Editor of the Nation Magazine Frances Fox Piven, Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Sociology, CUNY Graduate Center black man.” Walter Fields, Senior Vice-President for Governmental Relations and Public Affairs, Community Service Society of New York John Flateau, Senior Fellow, DuBois-Bunche Institute, Medgar Evers College/CUNY
10 1/2" Michael Flynn, Assistant Professor, Behavioral Sciences, York College

Moderator: Ron Daniels, Distinguished Lecturer, Behavioral Sciences, York College

The panelists will assess one of the most extraordinary election campaigns in American history and discuss the signi cance of the outcome against the backdrop of a deepening domestic and global economic crisis. Among the topics to be addressed are the role that race, gender and class played in the campaign and the direction of public policy in the new administration given con icting philosophies/approaches on critical issues . between conservatives and liberals, Democrats and Republicans Together we can stamp out prejudice. It only takes one voice to make a difference. Find yours at www.freedomcenter.org onthemove

5 3/4"

NOTE TO PUB: DO NOT PRINT INFO BELOW, FOR ID ONLY. NO ALTERING OF AD COUNCIL PSAs. PAGE 2 I PANDORA’S BOX Racial Cooperation - Newspaper - B&W - URFYR2-N-03105-D “Articulate Black Man” 5 3/4 xNovember 10 1/2 85 line screen 2008 film at Schawk: (212) 689-8585 Ref#: 203831 pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu News OBAMA WINS

By Julianna Hutson a decade according to a New York Editor in Chief Times Article. But on election night the New More than 100,000 sup- York Times reported that “prelimi- porters packed the area in and nary figures from exit polls found around Grant Park, Chicago that voters under 30 and first-time where senator Barack Obama voters made up the same share of proclaimed victory in the 2008 the electorate this year that they presidential election after a did in 2004.” teary-eyed Senator John Mc- Because of the unprecedented Cain conceded defeat shortly numbers at the polls, lines at poll- before 11:30 p.m. on election ing booths stretched, in some cas- night. es for blocks, as reported by some “If there is anyone out there media outlets. who still doubts that America is Arlington Aguebor, a senior a place where anything is possi- majoring in Aviation Management ble, who questions the power of at York and an Obama supporter our democracy, tonight is your said he would have liked to have answer,” Obama proclaimed in heard a wider variety of discourse his acceptance speech. toward the end of the race. The first African American “There were not that many president-elect in United States options for candidates,” he said. history was accompanied by “There were about five other par- his wife, Michelle, and their ties— I don’t like that the media two daughters, Malia and Sasha focused on the two parties, Dem- Obama on the stage. ocrats and Republicans. I was dis- Moments earlier McCain appointed that I didn’t hear any- announced to his supporters in thing about them and I wish did.” Phoenix, Arizona, that he had Aguebor, like many other stu- made a call to Obama congratu- dents, also expressed disappoint- lating him on his victory at the ment in the fact that the day was poles. not a national holiday. “I pledge to him tonight to “We have a day off for Labor do all in my power to help him Day, but the most important day, lead us through the many chal- that is only once every four years, lenges we face,” declared Mc- we can’t get the day off,” he said. Cain. On campus there was little to Obama thanked the millions indicate that there was a national Chip Somodevilla • Getty Images of Americans who helped him election taking place, a few indi- A tearful John McCain concedes defeat. make history by persevering viduals on occasion were heard the principle that anything is encouraging another to vote in her decision the morning she possible. the women’s bathroom or the se- walked into the polling sta- “It’s been a long time com- curity personnel reminding stu- tion—a block from where she       ing, but tonight what we have-- dents to go vote as they exited the lives in Bronxville, Brooklyn . this defining moment-- change campus. “I think it’s because I go to            has come to America.” The electronic notice boards a minority school and live in a McCain gave his speech to in the main corridors of the Aca- minority area, I feel like I didn’t an incredulous crowd. demic Core did not serve as any hear about the other side,” Bai- “The American people have encouragement either, but con- ley said referring to the Repub-   !"#$  %"&! "%'$#"  spoken and they have spoken tinued with other announcements lican candidate, John McCain. "#(#!)*#$%! "%+!#, !$$' & %"&!  very clearly,” he said. that too few students bother to “Everyone around me was say- “This is an historic elections, ing how great Obama was but **&$- (!&$##  # #%$ # % #!! % I recognize the special signifi- no one said anything about Mc- cance it has for African Ameri- “It’s been a long Cain.” )("$' $#  $# %..$'/ cans and for the special pride But there were other students that must be theirs tonight.” who felt their vote just did not Now that the national elec- time coming, but count regardless of which polit- tion has finally ended, the two- ical candidate they would have # ##        year journey that has set a new voted for. standard in the way gender and tonight what we Kyle Dabrowski, a senior % #!! %        race influences national politics Communications Technology       and government. have-- this major did not vote this year, nor The fact that the Democratic in 2004, even though he was primaries saw Hillary Clin- eligible both years. ton, the first female to capture defining moment-- “I find voting under the 0(#1 ! $#   $ & #"#$%! the attention of the public by Electoral College in a state like any measurement and, Barack New York to vote Republican "#)%*#$ #! #2) %3/  0)!*%45 0 #6 . Obama, the first African-Amer- change has come or Democrat will go the Dem- *%$- . & )$ 7#2 #) *# %#8 4 ican to make it all the way to ocrat regardless of who I vote the national election is just the for,” he said. !!#'# #" )#./ first indicator of the signifi- to America.” During his acceptance cance this election. speech, Obama echoed many of Though not as tight or sig- the themes which have become nificant as the Democrats, read. familiar standards, acknowl- %2 #   0#) 9:9
9;<
=9: the Republicans were able to Charlin Bailey, an upper ju- edging the difficulties facing  #*%! mel$'!#$? .$-/' scramble the best of the best nior majoring in English was the nation and pledging his re- – though there was not much among the large number of ex- solve to unify a deeply divided to choose from—McCain and pectant first-time voters. Bailey country. Mitt Romney. said she arrived at the polls at “The road ahead will be Then there was the over- seven in the morning. Though long,” said Obama. “I promise whelming number of first time many other younger voters you, we, as a people, will get voters in the primaries, an esti- seemed more absolute in their there.” mated 1.3 million-- the largest choice for president days prior “Yes we can!” the crowd percentile increase in more than to the ‘big day’, Bailey made roared in unison.

PAGE 3 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 News pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu Free Car Service Rides for Students in Danger

Sadef A. Kully emergency with a small ‘e,’ be- News Editor cause you are at a safe home,” said Signarino. A new service is now avail- While the company provides able that offers free rides to a free service, it is not a non- York College students, faculty, profit corporation, but rather and staff who feel they are in one that generates revenues possible life-threatening situa- through sales of advertising tions. and public safety related items The service is provided by a such as identification kits for company called Student Life- children and coloring books. line, a Long Island based or- Student Lifeline has recruit- ganization which first began in ed sponsors among local busi- 1988. nesses in the greater Jamaica. Sharon Hawkins, the man- “Colleen Donahue from ager of the College’s Health State Farm Insurance put up a Services Center, said she heard $1,000 – which is the most,” about the service over the past said Signarino summer. Hawkins wanted to show “I actually saw the fax and students and their parents that started making inquiries,” York College was concerned said Hawkins, who proposed Sadef Kully • Pandora’s box about students in every way. that college officials look into Students have to register for a Student Lifeline card at the Health Services Center in order for the car service to accept a ride. “So people know we care York’s participation in the about the students, it’s not only program. Shortly afterward, provides Lifeline cards to stu- Bureau and other institutions it “Casual use to go to par- academics, but we are con- Hawkins said a female student dents with a toll-free number on currently serves or formerly ties – if a student doesn’t cerned all the way around for told her she had recently been it. served. “If you want a ride just want to take the bus or train their safety and well-being,” a passenger in an auto accident Vice President of Student to go home from a club – that’s – would probably annihilate said Hawkins. because a friend she was with Development, Janis Jones ap- not okay.” the program, and take away The Student Lifeline card got drunk. proved the program after Acting Richard Signarino, the from critical rides,” said Sig- is available for students at the “That made me want to see Director of Public Safety Lieu- founder of the company, said narino. Health Services Center in the that we had this,” said Hawk- tenant Tyrone Forte conducted a rides are also provided to par- “People have sought to Academic Core building in ins. “It’s no cost to the school.” background check of the organi- ticipating institutions in the abuse the program, and have room 1F01. Student Lifeline is a family- zation. event of automotive emergen- been successful,” he added. owned business that dispatches “Students should not take cies, like a car breakdown, pro- “If that is the case, it can be For more information and reimburses local car servic- advantage of the service,” said vided the information can be revoked upon any concrete es for high schools and colleges Forte, who confirmed Student confirmed by police or a tow- evidence. If you’re stuck at a go to in several states. The company Lifeline with the Better Business ing agency. friend’s house, it may be an www.studentlifeline.com Kidnapper of York Student Guilty, Facing Life

By Paige Jeffries The man also wore metal rimmed her case and was brought to her around to handcuff her Contributing Writer glasses and that man was Dar- view a line-up, but was unable behind her back. “I asked ryl Littlejohn,” said DeGaetano, to identify Littlejohn as her at- him if I can get my phone “He is every woman’s worst abruptly spinning on his heel and tacker. to call my sister, but he took nightmare,” said prosecutor pointing to the defendant. The defense attorney also my phone and said I couldn’t Frank DeGaetano in his open- DeGaetano summed up his criticized the New York Police call anybody. Then he put me ing statement on October 18. closing remarks with three words: Department, implying that they in the van,” she said as she The “nightmare” sat at the “game, set, match.” He explained failed to follow proper pro- broke down sobbing. defense table with a blank ex- that after the defendant’s home cedures and mishandled evi- In the van, the victim was pression on his face. His name was searched, detectives found dence. shoved to the floor between is Darryl Littlejohn and he was several items that would link Lit- The first officers to arrive two seats but managed to facing trial on charges that he tlejohn to the crime. at the spot where the victim push herself up. “I got the snatched a York College stu- But the most damning piece of jumped from the van were re- door open with my hands and dent from a sidewalk about a evidence was provided by the vic- luctant to uncuff Woodard, be- screamed ‘help.’ He stopped mile away from the campus in tim herself: the pair of handcuffs cause they were unsure if she the car. I thought he was go- Courtesy of NYPD Oct. 2005. Littlejohn used when he abducted was an escaped prisoner or ing to kill me,” she said cry- Darryl Littlejohn faces 25 years to life “Fortunately, this is also a her, which were still on her wrists emotionally unstable. ing uncontrollably. in prison at his sentencing on Nov. 19. case about courage…about a after she forced open the door of Russo ultimately urged ju- Littlejohn hit her over her woman’s determination to not his van and jumped out while he rors to “pay extreme attention head and punched her three The victim got up and give up and to fight back,” said was driving. Police had the hand- to the evidence of the case.” times immediately after. “He banged on the door of a private DeGaetano. cuffs DNA tested, and came up But the jury apparently be- made me lay down back on house, where a lady greeted her The jury sat in the dimly lit with a positive match to Little- lieved the victim, who testified the floor and put it (a black and called the police, who im- courtroom at Queens Criminal john. on the third day of the trial. jacket) over my head. He mediately came to the scene. Court listening carefully to each The defense attorney, Jason At first the 5 foot, 125 pound said that I was trying to be On Oct. 23, after a three- word from the prosecutor. Russo, then got up and made his woman appeared nervous and slick and trying to get away. week trial before Queens Su- “Tomorrow makes three opening remarks. Russo asked the in disarray. She described what He wasn’t going to let me get preme Court Justice Gregory years since the 19 year-old jury to think about the word integ- her attacker wore, where she away,” she said. L. Lasak, jurors took less than York College student…was rity. Russo claimed that integrity was coming from, and her ac- As Littlejohn drove the three hours to convict Little- abducted, while walking home was lacking in the evidence. tions as she was walking to her van along the Van Wyck Ex- john on charges of second-de- from class along the Van Wyck At first the victim gave police home, all of which matched pressway in a direction head- gree kidnapping, robbery, and Expressway,” said DeGaetano. a description of her attacker that the prosecutor’s opening state- ed toward his home on 121st assault, along with first-degree The prosecutor continued his bore little resemblance to the sus- ment. Avenue, the victim managed criminal impersonation. argument. “(The victim) was pect. The case went cold until she But as she continued her to get her back against the “The defendant has now approached by a man standing saw Littlejohn on television after testimony, she briefly gained van wall, unlock the door and been held accountable for his in front of a church, who was he was arrested and charged with her composure, calmly explain- jump out before landing in a actions-posing as a law en- wearing black boots, a navy the murder of Immette St Guil- ing to the jury that Littlejohn patch of dirt. The van stopped forcement officer and forcibly blue law enforcement uniform, len, a former student at John Jay stopped her, asked for identi- for a second, but Littlejohn abducting a young college stu- jacket, and hat with yellow let- College. The former York student fication, and quickly grabbed kept going after seeing wit- ters that read Fugitive Agent. called the detectives working on some handcuffs while turning nesses in the street. See Kidnapper page14

PAGE 4 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu News Pulitzer Winning Writer Inspires York Students

By Julianna Hutson ence would not capture that a Editor in Chief Latino audience would cap- ture,” said Cruz. “There is some Pulitzer Prize winning play- something about the language, wright Nilo Cruz appeared at there is something about the York’s Performing Arts Center humor. And there is so much to open his play “Anna in the joy in the air and you feel it. Tropics” and to give a presen- So of course I want more La- tation about his career as a Cu- tinos to come to the theater, but ban-American artist. again, I write for the world.” Cruz, who in 2003 became A member of the audience the first Latino to win the Pu- asked which his favorite work litzer Prize for drama, spent is but, the playwright diplo- a portion of his presentation matically responded, “Usually explaining how “Anna in the when I am writing, my last play Tropics” came to be. is the one I am obsessed with “In the beginning I didn’t because, to me writing is about know that the piece was going being obsessed with a subject to be about the power of litera- matter. But I love them all the ture,” he said to a theater over same.” flowing with students, faculty As the question and answer and staff. “At the beginning segment of the presentation I was just fascinated by this wound down to prepare for the tradition that came from Cuba viewing of the play, Cruz noted to the United States in the late that his writing is influenced by 1800s.” politics, life and literature. The tradition Cruz referred Born in Matanzas, Cuba, to is that of having “lectures,” Julianna Hutson • Pandora’s Box in 1960, Cruz fled the Castro or readers, narrate stories to Pulitzer Prize Winner for Drama, Nilo Cruz read excerpts from his other written works to a captivated audience. regime with his family to the workers in Cuban cigar facto- Little Havana section of Miami ries. when he was 10-years-old. The play “Anna in the Trop- him, Cruz said he uses most of his theater,” he said. “I thought I “Theater is considered “I think because I had to ics” is based on the novel own experiences. was going to see more Latinos elite though I must say that leave the country because “Anna Karenina” which the lec- “I take into consideration my (on Broadway). A lot of Lati- in Cuba, now, at the moment, of the political situation, if I tor reads to the factory workers. life – I am always observing,” no’s came, but not enough.” there are a lot of people that hadn’t been born in Cuba in the “Anna Karenina” is a novel set said Cruz. “I think artists are al- Cruz also explained that the go to the theater,” he ex- midst of the revolution I think in nineteenth century Russia ways observing. I feel like I have same kind of absence is noticed plained about the changing that politics perhaps would not about a family torn by adultery to write about what I know and with Latino actors on Broad- Latino culture. “And it’s be important to me as it is in and deceit. As the book’s plot about people who look like me.” way. cheap too. It’s just a few dol- my work.” unveils, so too are the lives of Cruz added that it has always “At one point someone came lars or pesos.” “Anna in the Tropics” was the factory workers. been his intention to write for the to me and said ‘we auditioned In comparing the differ- sponsored by the Office of the As part of his presentation Latino community since, in his today and we need some Latino ence of North American and President, the Diversity and Cruz read several excerpts from opinion, too few Latinos in New actors but, they are all doing Latino Theater, Cruz said Pluralism Committee, and the some of his previous works and York take an interest in theater your play,’” said Cruz. “So it that as a Latino he prefers the York College Theatre. It was later answered questions from a and the arts. was so incredible that my work latter. directed by Professor of The- curious audience. “Latino people do not go to the was giving employment to La- “There are certain things ater Arts Timothy Amrhein and Asked about what inspires theater; Jewish people go to the tino actors.” that a North American audi- featured an all-student cast. Budgets Cuts Affecting York Student Services

By Julianna Hutson the department, you will see the ing for more tutoring services es that were used 2 years first step - there may have to be Editor in Chief voluntary extra hours the faculty for students whose native lan- ago,” explained Drobnicki. more.” is putting in,” says Ballantyne. guage is not English. “But the Library expanded But the Vice President of Several direct student ser- “So the students are not suffering “We needed tutors for the its hours after that, and also Administrative Affairs, Jerald vices are being affected by the so much because the faculty is do- ESL students because that’s one now provides services during Posman explained that the bud- university’s almost $18 million ing more than they are required to of the goals of the college this January Winter Session. So get office, which he oversees, is budget cut. do.” year: to improve the scores of we are using more Temp Ser- still trying to balance the bud- Services such as tutoring for But the budget cuts are not the students on CPE who are ESL,” vices money at a time when get and ensure that priorities English as a Second Language work of York, or even CUNY. Ballantyne explained. our Temp Services budget is are met. At press time budgets (ESL) and regular foreign lan- Because the state government, Ballantyne said the office of (likely) much too small.” were still being given to depart- guages as well as open hours which is the prime financial sup- Academic Affairs was working The library’s web page ments throughout the college. for the library are among the porter of the university, is faced with her to provide additional has a posting stating “… At the same time, Provost, first services to feel the pinch. with an initial $5.5 billion budget funding for the tutoring servic- changes in Fall 2008 hours Ivelaw Griffith, who is respon- “In the budget crisis I hope shortfall, CUNY did not receive es that were reduced. due to Budget cuts, effective sible for all academic programs that student services will get the amount of money it expected, Additionally, the college’s 10/01/08.” including oversight of the li- the funding first,” said Marga- thereby giving its colleges, like library has been cutting back The library now opens at brary, said he is looking at al- ret Ballantyne, chair of the For- York only a portion of what they on its business hours. The li- 9 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. and ternative means to fund student eign Languages, ESL and Hu- need to adequately function. brary’s acting chief librarian, closes at 10 p.m. during the services that are being affected manities Department. “Faculty A CUNY-wide program named John Drobnicki in an email cor- week instead of 11 p.m. by the delayed budgets and is very willing to help students, Coordinated Undergraduate Edu- respondence explained that he “Last year, I moved about cuts. we are not complaining, but it’s cation (CUE) is one of the leading was forced to open the facility $25,000 from the separate He explained that the col- just better for students to have organizations that offer funding an hour late and close it an hour Compact OTPS into Temp lege received a $2 million fed- an ongoing tutoring (service) to student support services such earlier because he was told by Services to cover all of the eral grant that will be paid to where they know they will have as tutoring at the Writing Center, administration to use a budget Library’s scheduled hours,” the college over a five year pe- these steady hours (that) will fit Academic Achievement Center, from two years ago. The prob- Drobnicki wrote. “But there riod. The grant, called Title III, their schedules.” SEEK summer programs and the lem with using a two year old is no more Compact this which was acquired two years Ballantyne’s department has ESL programs. CUE’s budget has budget is that services expand- year. And if I went along ago to help student services, had its ESL program tutoring also been cut across the univer- ed with the hiring of more tem- with the normal schedule, particularly tutoring and advis- budget reduced from $4000 sity. porary staff to facilitate more the College Assistants would ing will be used to supplement to $1300 and its regular tutor- Ballantyne explained that the and longer operational hours in have run out of hours by De- the other areas where direct ing for foreign languages from budget cut to her ESL program the library over the years. cember or January instead of student services are being af- $10,000 to just under $500. comes at a particularly difficult “Administration based the June. The small cuts in hours “If you look on the door of time when the university is push- amount on the Temp Servic- that I made might only be the See Budget page14

PAGE 5 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 Editorial pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu Enough Already! What Now? Money-Saving Tips

The presidential campaign- candidate was best for everyone. remember that the president of for Students ing is now over. “Thank God But beyond all the hype, the the United States does not have Almighty” we can now go back rhetoric and historical events, it absolute power. By Nadira Ramudit the savings add up. to regular programming. has all come down to the presi- Second, the economy is in, Contributing Writer 6. Take advantage of This was indeed one of the dential candidate and their prom- or very close to, a recession. the local events that are free or most fascinating and historical ises. Wall Street is in shambles and Given the state of the na- have a student discount. For presidential campaigns. Both presidential candidates Main Street is paying the bill. tional economy I thought it example, shows at the Perform- To begin with, it was the presented themselves as “agents Where will the money come prudent to offer some advice ing Arts Center, or any of the longest presidential campaign of change.” They promised voters from? What is the plan for get- in getting through these tough numerous museums throughout in American history. It is hard a list of changes – the economy, ting the economy back on track? times. I’m a third year Eco- the city. There is now free ice- to remember when there was healthcare, energy, foreign policy, Neither candidate has any clear nomics student at York who skating in Bryant Park. (Guys: not a political ad or campaign education, social security, taxes plan. One thing for sure, the works and study full time. While it may be important that event or political news on the and on and on. solution is not “spreading the My financial knowledge you impress her on the first television. Even the comedy So what changes can we ex- wealth” and definitely not an comes from reading. Lots of date, shelling out lots of money shows became so politically pect when the new president takes $800 billion dollar “invest- reading and and research into is not the only way to do so.) biased that it was hard to enjoy office? ment” in Wall Street. getting the most from my sal- 7. Make a list – and stick the show when rooting for the It is one thing to make a cam- The bottom line is, will the ary. Also, I’ve been running to it, especially when buying other guy. paign promise but another thing so-called poor and middle class a household for a younger groceries. And if that was not enough to actually fulfill that promise and see any changes in their ev- brother and myself for the 8. Buy in bulk and divvy media saturation, the Demo- the next president will not fulfill eryday lives? Not likely. Will past five years, so I’ve had to it up with a friend. This works cratic camp decided to air a $4 most of the promises made. students receive more finan- learn how to budget and al- especially well when you shop million 30-minute long presi- First, to affect any change, pol- cial help for college? No. Will locate expenses while trying with large retailers like Costco dential infomercial on most of iticians will have to perform their healthcare and social security to save money all at the same and BJ’s. Get a membership the major television networks. jobs, that is, to actually work for be fixed? No. American image time. card with a friend or a friend It is estimated that this presi- the best interest of voters, which abroad will not change over- It has been a wonderful with a membership card (see, dential race will cost an historic means putting aside partisan poli- night and the wars in Iraq and experience and I cannot wait this works either way), do your $2.4 billion. tics and self-interest. Afghanistan will definitely not to share some that with oth- shopping together and split the Barack Obama, the man who Blaming George W. Bush for end immediately. You get the ers who may be in a similar bill. could be the first black presi- all of America’s problems is a picture. Promises will be bro- position. Here are ten mon- 9. Utilize the book bank. dent of the United States. He is good sound byte but voters must ken – be prepared. ey-saving tips: This is an excellent way of not young, charismatic, an eloquent 1. Skip the coffee. Do accumulating books at the end and skilled public speaker. Peo- you really need to shell out of the semester and having to ple all over the world want to Letter to the Editor $2 for that coffee every day? worry about storage. Or try vote for him. 2. Bag it. The average meeting people who have a text Then there is presidential To the Editor, lunch is $10. Imagine what that you need and need one that candidate John McCain, a mav- having an extra $50 at the you have. Switch books and re- erick politician who crosses The article of the October issue entitled “Serial Rapists At Large in end of the week could do for turn them at the end of the se- party lines whenever he likes. Queens” seems inappropriate as a front page article for the first edition you? That’s $200 at the end mester. A war hero who served his of our college newspaper. of the month! 10. Reduce credit card country in ways few can imag- In my opinion, the lead article in Pandora’s Box should reflect the 3. Clip coupons. Those debt. The warning bells are ine, and who actually fights to most significant issues that have a direct impact on the academic life seemingly tiny amounts do ringing and soon credit lines eliminate wasteful government of the college. Certainly safety and security are critical. But the effect add up. Corporations put will likely begin to shrink and spending in Washington. of the piece could also have the negative effect of scaring students aside billions of dollars every some may disappear altogeth- And the media, as the cam- away. year just for coupons! er. With the savings you’d get paign heated up, media objec- I would argue that you might have kept the article placed “below 4. Use the library from the above tips, you should tivity went out the window. the fold’’ thus giving it importance, but not attracting the negative for books and movies. It’s be able to make more than the It became hard to differen- prominence the article had by its placement “above the fold.” amazing how much the local minimum payment on those tiate between hard news and My disappointment in the prominence given to this article did not library offers. credit card balances. opinion. Reporters were no prevent me from reading the whole paper. I do want to congratulate 5. Do you really need longer reporting “just the facts” you on getting an edition out early as well as for the inclusion of some a home phone, cell phone but instead evaluated and in- new features. and a work phone? Or that terpreted the facts for viewers. deluxe cable package? Are See more tips at: They decided what was best Sincerely, you home enough to watch pandorasbox.cuny.edu for viewers to see and, in some all those premium channels? cases, even told viewers which Marcia V. Keizs Skip the frills and see how York College CUNY, President

PANDORA’S BOX • The Official Student Newspaper of York College Serving The York College Community Since 1968 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. • Room AC-2C13 Jamaica, NY 11451 • (718) 262-2529 • Fax (718) 262-5234 [email protected] - http://pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu EDITORIAL BOARD

Julianna Hutson Sadef A. Kully Karen Gonsalves Faculty Advisor Editor-in-Chief News Editor Feature Editor Prof. William Hughes

Romeo Seenjan Victor A. Lopez Stefan Singh Mehrunnisa Wani Managing Editor Graphics & Layout Editor Sports Editor Acting Arts & Entretainment Editor

Reporters Reporters Contributring Writer Ria Hutson Oliver Gonzales Nadira Ramudit Dhruv Kumar Navid Islam Paige Jefferies Joseph Grasso

“ THE CITY UNIVERSITY DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF RACE, RELIGION, COLOR, SEX, CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN, DISABILITY OR VETERAN’S STATUS.” ALL ITEMS SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION BECOME THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF PANDORA’S BOX. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE YORK COLLEGE The City University of New York EDITORIAL BOARD OF PANDORA’S BOX. © 2008. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PANDORA’S BOX.

PAGE 6 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu News Analysis

The Economic Crisis: What Does it All Mean?

By Romeo Seenjan popular areas of money lending. many cried foul about private banking in- Managing Editor With prices on homes increasing steadi- stitutions getting bailed out with public ly and with a booming demand for property, funding, CNN senior business correspon- With the government sporting a $700 home construction also increased. Eventu- dent Ali Velshi believed the Federal gov- billion bail out package and American In- ally the number of new houses exceeded ernment had no other choice but to inter- ternational Group getting $85 billion of the number of people willing to buy them. vene. that while under federal investigation, the And with supply exceeding demand, hous- “If the bailout didn’t get passed, credit national media is bombarding the public ing prices fell. will get even tighter and more jobs will be with a whole lot of economic Borrowers with ARM’s (those with ini- lost,” he said. “Inadvertently, we’re mumbo jumbo that tially low rates that later raised) who had going to have to help Wall is both overwhelm- been planning to sell or refinance their Street to get the mon- ing and confusing at homes before the adjustments occurred, ey trickling down to times. Many won- were unable to refinance. As a result, many you, because that’s the der what the bailouts mortgage holders began to default as the system through which mean to them as an adjustments began. money flows.” individual and not a As the adjustments on the ARM’s began Suze Orman, a finan- statistic. The following spiraling downward, housing market val- cial expert for the CNBC is aimed at simplifying ues also began to fall. Millions of Ameri- network, believes that the the economic mess so cans soon owed more than their homes banks are to blame for the that the average were worth and stopped making payments. financial meltdown. “Joe the The New York Times recently reported “I refuse to believe that it Plumb- that nearly 8.8 million homeowners owed started with [regular people],” er” can have found themselves in this situation. she said during a recent broad- c a s t . fol- On October 28, 2008, CNNMoney.com “It was the banks and their greed and their l o w reported that an estimated 851,000 homes deceit of them wanting to make money and t h i s were repossessed by lenders between Au- giving loans to people when they should national trav- gust 2007 and September 2008. have said, ‘I’m so sorry,’ like they did esty. Herein lies the real problem with how years ago. … But instead they The Protagonist: the slumping housing markets as a result said, ‘Here you go, little Subprime Mortgages of defaults on subprime mortgages are one, take a mort- In 2001 after the dotcom bubble burst, bringing the $13 trillion US economy to gage.’” the next big boom was the housing indus- its knees. try. With a huge infusion of foreign invest- The Antagonist: Securitization, ments, U.S. banks were flush with cash and CDO, ABS and MDS real estate values soared and Traditionally, banks lent money to subprime mortgage homeowners with the understanding lending became an that they are liable for any loans the industry. borrower might default in repaying-- Subprime mort- this is called credit risk. But in 1995, Con- gage risky loans gress approved a law (The Community Re- granted to individuals investment Act) that allowed banks to sell The with poor credit histo- credit risk to investors, through a process Climax: What to ries who, as a result of called securitization. expect their deficient credit Black’s Law Dictionary defines securi- Dr. Glibert Escamilla , one ratings, would not be tization as a process that involves pooling of York College’s resident experts on able to qualify for con- and repackaging of cash flow (as in the public policy, believes that 2009 will be ventional or prime mort- monthly mortgage payment) thus convert- an extremely difficult year for Americans gages. Because subprime ing financial assets into securities that are and people around the globe. He believes b o r r o w e r s present a higher risk for then sold to investors. that by the end of the first quarter of 2009 lenders, subprime mortgage lenders charge The securities (or repackaged risks) the America will be officially in a recession. interest rates above the prime investors purchase are also called mort- “The problem moved from a housing lending rate. Addition- gage-backed securities (MBS) and collat- problem to the investment banks to the ally, people who eralized debt obligations (CDO). Investors credit markets and now it has become had poor who purchased most of these risks include an economic problem,” Esca- big names like Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, milla said. Bear Stearns Companies, Lehman Broth- “We haven’t seen ers, Wachovia, Morgan Stanley and oth- yet the full brunt of c r e d i t ers. this economic slow- histories took Otto Van Hemert, Professor of Finance down. We are now see- out loans with ad- at NYU’s Stern School of Business es- ing the economic effect. justable rate mortgages timates that the securitized share of sub- We saw a dramatic drop (ARM). With ARMs the inter- prime mortgages increased from 54% in in consumer confidence est rate starts out low and increases 2001, to 75% in 2006—an indication of and this does not go well for over time. Many borrowers took out loans how lucrative the subprime mortgages the US which is an economy larger than they could afford and assumed were proving to be. based almost entirely on con- that they could sell or refinance their homes But when homeowners begun to default sumerism, on top of that you at a higher price later on, thus making a on their monthly payments the MBS flow have stagnant wages and rising profit by taking advantage of the system— of income began to slow down and eventu- unemployment, and housing values that but they were wrong. ally crashed. are declining, the economic effect will be M o r t g a g e The Plot: Understanding the Bailouts direr than we see with the finan- lenders in the An October 20, 2008 edition of Time cial effect.” United States re- magazine succinctly summed up the effect Dr. Escamilla pre- alized there was of the financial crisis on the national and dicted that the first a lot of money to global economy. half of 2009 will be be made by sup- “Banks will cut back on their lending to economically difficult. plementing full, households and businesses. Mortgage and “All the economists prime mortgage car loans will become harder to get. That that I have seen forecast with these subprime in turn will stifle consumer spending and that there will be a reces- and adjustable rate crimp investment in companies, leading to sion or either we are in one mortgages. In fact production cuts and job losses.” it became one of the This is where the government’s $700 See Crisis page14 most lucrative and billion bail out plan came into play. While

PAGE 7 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 2008 Election Echoes At York

The nation is facing an unpredictable year; a tumultuous Ayanna Wilson Major: Political Science economy, a military fiasco in Iraq, dramatic climate changes, and Class Status: Senior no sense of any political leaders in control. The election seems to be We’re in the final stretch. the only hope for any change in the right direction. We’ve turned the corner and the finish line is in our sights. This is the most important race of our As the 2008 election came to an end, Pandora’s Box invited lives. This isn’t a sprint. This York students and faculty members to voice some of their major isn’t a marathon. It’s a relay. And it’s been a good one. There concerns and opinions. were no false starts and only a little jostling from the competi- tion but we expected it and were well prepared. This time the Michael Smith media was vigilant, guarding Assistant Professor - Performing and against the spin doctors. They Fine Arts ran a good leg, smoothly passing the baton to Obama. He didn’t Being the television guy, I’ve been in- stumble. He didn’t waver. He was relentless, continually pressing forward terested in the campaign advertising used until finally passing the competition. But his job is done. The handoff was by both McCain and Obama. Last night made and we’re the anchor. We run the final leg. So yes, the victory is in Obama paid 3 million plus dollars to show our sights. Our only enemy now is hubris. Lets not raise our hand in victory a 30 minute primetime “infomercial.” It before the race is done. It’s not over. We still have to vote. appeared on the major networks, FOX, NBC, CBS, and few cable networks too. What’s interesting is that Obama pulled a Michael J. Cripps Associate Professor of English bigger market share or and “Nielsen Rating” than the networks did Coordinator, College-Wide Writing Program with normal 8 p.m. programming the pre- Coordinator, Writing Across the Curriculum Pro- vious week. It looks like if Obama doesn’t gram get elected he may have a TV career ahead of him... I recently heard a neighbor say, “I never vote. It doesn’t matter who wins the election anyway.” I’ve been thinking about reasons people would vote this Scott Sheidlower time around. What’s up with this year? A woman Head of Information Literacy/ runs for President of the United States of America Evening and Weekend Librarian in and almost wins the nomination. An African-Amer- charge/ ican man runs and wins his party’s nomination. A Assistant Professor Vietnam War hero and long-serving, principled senator becomes the first presidential nominee from This is one of the most important his party to select a woman as a running mate. Con- elections in the last seventy years. sider this: Women didn’t have the vote in the US We have someone with a new vi- until 1920, and Jim Crow effectively disenfran- sion running against someone who chised many blacks until the passage of the Voting wishes to continue the failed poli- Rights Act of 1965. If the opportunity to participate cies of the last 8 years. (BUSH III). the selection of an African-American or a woman America can’t afford that. We are for president or vice-president isn’t enough to bring moving from a first world power to people to the polls, the issues are. At stake are the a third world debtor nation based nation’s approaches to international relations and upon those policies. Students to- global terrorism, to war on two fronts, to spiraling day need to vote however they think health care costs, and to economic crises that include they should but just remember that a waves of home foreclosures, and ballooning unem- continuation of the ployment. The economic security of soon-to-retire last 8 years will mean that instead baby boomers is threatened by losses on Wall Street. of the bright future they deserve, And Generations X and Y stare down a national they will be putting themselves into debt and Social Security shortfall that makes the a black pit where the Constitution $700,000,000,000 bailout of 2008 look like pocket means very little, and where talent is worth less than fluff. Additionally, the republi- change, all at a time when the cost of our current can candidate is not in good health so a vote for President McCain is a vote for soon- war may exceed $1,000,000,000,000. I expect that to-be President Palin. Americans recognize the symbolism and the stakes of this election, and that we’ll see voter turnout of historic proportions.

Jonathan P. Hubbard Laura Fishman Student Professor of History Here you go, My two cents! I can’t remember the last time I was so excited about an elec- Wow, what can I say about this historic electoral event tion. With our economy in turmoil and our nation at war, so that I may possibly be telling my grand children? I would much is at stake. Barack Obama’s candidacy will always stand say that it was an event that brought the masses together to out as a milestone in United States history, and the outcome of vote for a candidate that was once concerned subhuman by the election will most likely generate discussion and debate on his fellow citizens. It was an event that was “a long time the nature and status of racial attitudes and prejudices in our coming”, being a day that people of color, for this genera- country. On October 30, a forum was held on our campus that fo- tion, could hold and keep with them the rest of their lives. cused on another key issue raised in this election, the connection A day that could bring truth to any American child’s state- between gender and politics. Profs. Margaret Ballantyne, Debo- ment; “I am going to be president someday”. The young rah Majerovitz, Robin Harper and myself discussed the many men of today’s society can say it proudly, without there ways in which prevalent concepts and stereotypes regarding sex being any negative connotation because of the propaganda roles have influenced this campaign. Here again, the outcome brought forth by the media, “I am an African American of the election will stimulate much reflection as to whether or Male”, and we can truly accomplish anything that we de- not assumptions about gender have changed in our society. So sire. the 2008 presidential election will not only determine the future leader of our nation and the direction of public policy, but it will also reveal central characteristics of United States culture in the twenty first century.

PAGE 8 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 2008 Election Echoes At York

Leonora Gerardi Professor Samuel Hux Ayanna Wilson Politicial Science Student English and Philosophy Major: Political Science Class Status: Sophomore Class Status: Senior I admire John McCain immensely, and my vote for him is the The person who only completely happy vote of my life. When people refer to We’re in the final stretch. becomes the Presi- the 2008 election as We’ve turned the corner and the dent of the United “historic,” evidently finish line is in our sights. This States has to be they mean the pos- is the most important race of our someone of good sibility of electing a lives. This isn’t a sprint. This c h a r a c t e r, g o o d black president. I am isn’t a marathon. It’s a relay. spirit, shows grace, unmoved; the oppor- And it’s been a good one. There speaks truth, and can tunity means nothing were no false starts and only a do us proud; each to me because I’m little jostling from the competi- and everyone of US. totally indifferent to tion but we expected it and were History has taught a candidate’s race, well prepared. This time the us that negative ac- thinking instead, as media was vigilant, guarding tions/behaviors can Dr. King said, of against the spin doctors. They damage a person, a the content of one’s ran a good leg, smoothly passing life, a world, so peo- character. However, the baton to Obama. He didn’t ple will you do your if I were so moved I stumble. He didn’t waver. He was relentless, continually pressing forward part to be good stew- might prefer some- until finally passing the competition. But his job is done. The handoff was ards of the world one who had actu- made and we’re the anchor. We run the final leg. So yes, the victory is in around you? I ask ally lived the black our sights. Our only enemy now is hubris. Lets not raise our hand in victory you...are you on board to be a part of the mission to experience instead of before the race is done. It’s not over. We still have to vote. make the world whole? Will you come together to make having had to manu- this country a better place for all? facture an identity, It goes beyond your vote to create the right America, getting “street cred- the right change. ibility” by twenty years of attendance at Jeremiah Wright’s Your decision to pick the right person, must be church. I am much more comfortable with the character of an thoughtfully considered. The outcome will branch be- honorable warrior than that of a pampered chameleon. Fur- yond our country, and reach out to the world as a whole. thermore: it took me a long time to shake the habit of voting That is why, I am voting for Barack Obama, as I am hop- Democratic, but Obama’s party has successfully alienated me. ing that he will be the right steward to lead this country, The party leadership has taken this line: “George Bush’s war and its rainbow of people who are all counting on him is unjust, and when we Democrats are back in office we will to be the right someone who will create the right envi- end it.” This was in effect “aid and comfort” to the enemy. For ronment, unity, and values for our future. Our common there’s no way Democrats could not have known that Al Qaeda goal should be to change the corrupted influences that and allies would be encouraged thereby to hold on, and no way have destroyed democracy. they could not have known this would mean more American Dear President Obama: If you ever read this, I hope soldiers killed. As a veteran, I find this a rather sensitive is- that your words will become your deeds, and that your sue. Impossible for me to vote for Democrat Obama—because countrymen/women, children, and statesmen/women I do not want a particular kind of “historic” election: sedition will work earnestly together to bring Peace to the World. rewarded. May God’s speed be with you, if not, then may Divine intervention correct all the ills of the world, for man will have failed to follow the law of his creator: “To love and serve one and other.”

Professor Howard Ruttenberg, Department Chair History and Philosophy For more We are urged to vote. We are told that it’s a citizen’s duty. And yet barely more than half of us eligible do so. opinions and The reason often offered is that “my vote won’t make any difference.” Of course, it will make a difference of one. comentary Among millions of votes, that is virtually no difference. On the other hand, when almost 50% of the electorate visit thinks like that, it makes a very large difference; it can even determine who wins – which is why so much effort Pandora’s is put into enrolling new voters and getting the vote out. But the calculus for the individual remains the same: “my Website vote makes [virtually] no difference.” Game theorists sometimes defend this point of view and argue that it is rational. (I once heard a well-known hedge-fund expert argue this way.) The idea is that you will use up time and effort for no gain. Against this, those who urge us to vote Jonathan P. Hubbard tell us that it is “our duty.” But is it rational to do your Student duty? Not if rational means gain for you from that act. Here you go, My two cents! Even long-term gain, from the election of the candidate who benefits you, and perhaps the whole nation, cannot Wow, what can I say about this historic electoral event reasonably be traced to your effort, your vote. Though it that I may possibly be telling my grand children? I would can be traced to the votes of millions, of whom you are say that it was an event that brought the masses together to one, it would still have happened without you. But not vote for a candidate that was once concerned subhuman by without all of “you.” This suggests another way of thinking about one’s own act and with it anoth- his fellow citizens. It was an event that was “a long time er way of defining “rational,” indeed one advocated by the ancients who regarded all the virtues as coming”, being a day that people of color, for this genera- the effects of reason. Saying that your vote does not matter is in a sense anti-democratic: for it to tion, could hold and keep with them the rest of their lives. matter, you want to be the one who chooses the winner. That’s tyranny, not democracy. But in a A day that could bring truth to any American child’s state- sense you are right. Each of us should act as if we were the choosers and make sure, so far as we ment; “I am going to be president someday”. The young are able, that our choice is right for all of us, for the whole community. That’s what reason says men of today’s society can say it proudly, without there the vote is for. Is this a new idea? No. The founders of this nation called it “republican virtue.” being any negative connotation because of the propaganda The German philosopher, Immanuel Kant’s 3rd formulation of duty is to act always as if we were brought forth by the media, “I am an African American legislators in a kingdom of ends (roughly, a community in which every person’s good is absolute). Male”, and we can truly accomplish anything that we de- The French existentialist, Jean Paul Sartre, urged us always to choose as if we are choosing what sire. humanity means in this situation and action. And ancient Jewish sages tell us that the Messiah will come when we, each and every one, is righteous. When you consider whether and how to vote, ask yourself not only how you can gain from the vote and from its results, but also what sort of person you want to be and in what sort of community.

PAGE 9 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 Arts & Entertainment pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu Innovative Art Across Campus

Ria Hutson insight into the art piece and the Media. Reporter history of the artist. “York was built in the time building was first made. pieces for the college, and other Dr. Margaret Vendryes started when there was a project called In 1982, the Percent for pieces were gifts from different York College campus is the project in 2002, and Professor the Percent for Art, to include Art Law was approved by artists. Some of the fascinating filled with expensive pieces of Michael Cripps, the Coordinator art for every public building,” then Mayor Edward Koch art pieces are featured below, art displayed in different build- of the Writing Across the Curric- said Cripps. that every public building but for more information on all ings, however no one can tell at ulum (WAC) program, completed The Arc by Houston Conwill should have some form of art pieces on campus visit first glance the history behind the project in 2007 by creating a and the Solar Canopy by Sam art included. www.york.cuny.edu/cam- each piece. The project Unfor- website as a class project for Eng- Gilliam were the earliest piec- York College commis- pus-art.com gotten Art gives students some lish 384: Writing for Electronic es of art on campus when the sioned artists to make art

Artist: Sina Yussuff Art piece: Pray America 1983 Location: York College Library Artist: Stephen Antonakos Art piece: Neon for York, 1986 Nigerian artist Sina Yussuff, a devout Muslim, reveals a strong spiritual connection Location: Academic Core Atrium, 2nd floor between God and mankind. Pray America showed the many different cultures that ex- Estimated price: $25,000.00 ist within the United States but all of them have the same spiritual goal. A bright red is prominent all over the painting it gives the painting life over a sunset surrounded by a Stephen Antonakos’s unusual art is open to interpretation because he looming dark gray, as patrons pray towards the heavens. uses two-dimensional drawings and paintings, and transforms them into three-dimensional metal and neon glass tubing sculptures. Neon for York hangs over the atrium, glowing in hues of neon green, pink and blue light that ricochets off of nearby surfaces. The geometric sculpture wraps around a large pillar and gives the impression of an illuminated snake slithering around a tree.

Artist: James Brown Art piece: Farmer’s Mar- ket, 1986 Location: Academic Core, North Mall, 3rd floor Estimated price: $4,000.00

James Brown, the painter of farmer’s market, is an African- American painter, illustrator and graphic artist. He is a New Yorker with a Haitian background. Farm- er’s Market is packed with beauti- ful ripe produce and eager shop- pers. This is a multi-ethnic, urban market scene with a country tone.

Artist: Elizabeth Catlett Frank Stella is a second-generation Ital- Art piece: Torso, 1985 ian- American born in Malden, Massachusetts. Location: York College Library York College’s Brozozdowce III is one in that Estimated price: $19,500.00 series titled, as were others in the 40-piece se- ries, after a village where the Nazis destroyed The 1970s Feminist Movement was instrumental to artist a wooden synagogue during WWII. Stella was Elizabeth Catlett’s focus on women and their lives. Her sculp- a skilled craftsman who systematically cre- ture Torso is an impression of a woman with large breasts and ated designs on paper before building the final strong arms carved in hardwood. Catlett used mahogany for its three-dimensional artwork. He used geom- richness in color, grain, and texture to intimate the beauty and etry “to distill the image to paint and canvas strength of a brown-skinned woman’s body. The figure’s eyes alone.” are pools of black and white, the only unnatural color added to the work. Artist: Frank Stella Art piece: Brozozdowce III, 1973 Location: Academic Core, North Wall, 2nd floor Estimated price: $39,600.00

PAGE 10 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu Arts & Entertainment

Artist: Sam Gilliam Art piece: Solar Canopy, 1986 Location: Academic Core Lounge, 3rd floor Estimated price: $50,000.00

Painter Sam Gilliam became one of the first American painters to blur the line between painting and sculp- ture. The abstract structure, Solar Canopy, a title dedicated to Earth’s Sun, is an array of contrasting colors painted onto aluminum planes bolt- ed approximately 60 feet overhead. Artist: Romare Bearden Art piece: Recollection Pond, 1975 Location: York College Library, G Wing Estimated price: $10,000.00

Romare Bearden was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and reared in Harlem, New York. After he graduated from New York University and studied art history and philosophy in France, he became active in Harlem’s art world as a member of the Har- lem Artists Guild and one of the founding members of the Spiral Group, a collective of African-American artists. The Recollection Pond reflects a scene from his second home in the carribean island of St. Martin in a hand-woven tapestry with deep colors of blue, green, yellow and orange in a tropical landscape. The nude female becomes part of her natural surroundings in a shallow pond.

Artist: Marta Chilindron Opus is a three-sectioned Opus ll, 1986, Minimalist wood sculpture, York college library minimalism became popular Estimated price: $7,000.00 during the 1960s and 70s when art appears to be sterile and im- personal. Chilindron’s sculpture Artist: Houston Conwill is awkward and hard, but the Art piece: Arc, 1985 Opus II captivates and invites Location: 160th Street Entrance, Academic Core Building personal interpretations. The first section looks like a win- The Arc shadow aligns with thin bronze inlays drawn in the con- dow frame and the center sec- crete below and charts time as the sun moves overhead. The metal arch tion is shaped like a house with was created using arc spraying; an unusual technique for fine art sculp- a slanted roof that is echoed on ture. Under and around the Arc there are different symbols embossed the inner levels. On the inside, on its surface with no translation of their meanings. are several floors which create The Arc is surrounded by three bronze circles imbedded in the con- movement to the otherwise mo- crete paving with the words “Memory”, “Imagination” and “Vision,” tionless structure. repeated three times. On the opposite end there is a half paneled triangle with smaller triangular cutouts in its lower right and left side that ex- poses the whole sculpture.

Stone’s “W” Captures Dubbya

By Joe Grasso himself from the family business, big feat was successfully oust- Reporter preferring the life of a hard-par- ing incumbent Ann Richardson tying frat boy upon entering col- from the Texas Governorship The Republicans in the au- lege. Going out and getting drunk in 1994. After six years in of- dience were crying and the was just the regular night for W., fice, he decided to run for Presi- Democrats were laughing dur- which on at least one occasion dent, and we all know how that ing a recent screening of Oliver landed him in jail overnight. But turned out. Stone’s portrayal of a young that didn’t stop his drinking. Oliver Stone touches upon George W. Bush as a conflicted As George W. continued down the pressure from George W’s alcoholic who struggles with his destructive path, driving cabinet to invade Iraq after the who he is. drunk and proposing to women September 11 attacks. Still try- The Movie “W, A life mis- in bars, his younger brother Jeb ing to gain satisfaction from the underestimated.” almost makes Bush, became the one the family his father, W. decides to “fin- you feel bad for the man, which hoped would continue the Bush ish the job” his father started. I didn’t think was possible. legacy. W. seemed to break free Cheney is portrayed as the “W.” is a story about a man of his fear of failure as he became devil, Colon Powel a liar, and struggling to be an individual bitter at his fathers admiration for George Tenet as a complicit . That man is George W. Bush Jeb’s success. In 1978 W. unsuc- CIA ddirector who deliberately and his efforts are useless as the cessfully ran for the 19th congres- withheld evidence before the shadow of his father, George H. sional district in Texas. U.S. invasion of Iraq. Now W. Bush, weighs heavily over Finally, in 1986 George W. we are in a fiasco in the Mid- him. stopped drinking. And in 1989, dle East, and after seeing the “Junior,” as the current pres- along with an investment firm W. movie W. one can only imagine ident was called by his family, was in, he became partial owner George W. Bush being on the was seen as a potential heir to of the Texas Rangers Baseball brink of suicide as a result of his familiy’s political dynasty Team. W. was doing a complete his failure as President of the when he was born. However, 180, and this time it wasn’t the al- United States. Oliver Stone’s movie “W” shows President George W. Bush’s life from a different as he grew he began to distance cohol making him spin! His next point of view.

PAGE 11 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 Feature pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu Battle of the Smartphones

Navid Islam and Dhruv Kumar IBM Lotus Domino and Novell Reporters GroupWise. The BlackBerry Storm will be available for the These days the most basic holidays through Verizon in the cell phones have the capac- United States and Vodafone in ity to send and receive calls, Europe and Asia. The Storm text messages and to shoot and costs about $500 without a call- transmit photographs. But with ing plan. so many phones to choose from it can get a bit daunting for the T-Mobile’s G1 average person to make an in- The G1 phone also includes formed decision about which all the amenities of any good phone best suit their needs. The smart phone; an MP3 player, new “smartphones” have not video formats, 5 hours of talk made the decision-making pro- time and 130 hours of stand by, cess any easier. but the downside of the G1 is A “smartphone” is a major that it has 63MB internal mem- upgrade of the cell phone. Be- ory although it can be expanded sides having the basics, several with micro SD cards up to 8 gi- models also include email ca- gabytes. But the G1 phone still pabilities, personal organizers, cannot support Flash or Quick- internet browsers, Wi-Fi tech- time, and to listen to music a nology, video cameras, global USB adapter is needed to plug positioning systems, and touch- in your regular headphones. screens. Basically they are like The G1 weighs about 5.6 oz and miniaturized computers. is a little more bulky than the While there is no industry iPhone. But those are not fea- standard definition of a “smart- tures that are going to take the phone” the first mobile phone iPhone down, it is the Android with e-mail capability was in- operating system. In addition to troduced in 1992 by IBM. The the Google application, the G1 device, called “Simon,” also also comes with Amazon MP3 had a calander, address book store, AIM, MSN, and Yahoo! and could send and receive Messenger. Google Maps come faxes. with a compass, which in street Various models have been view moves when you move developed since then, but the phone. Like the Apple over the past year the device store, Google’s Android market has become widely marketed is filled with hundreds of appli- and used in North America, Courtesy of Google, Blackberry, and Apple cations created by customers. where the most popular “smart- Smartphones have different features, but each is created to fit a certain lifestyle. Some of these wonderful appli- phones” are the iPhone and the cations are Ecorio, which lets Blackberry. Now Google has music and a video player for In early October after months the Storm does not have an people track their carbon foot- entered the field with its G1 YouTube enthusiasts. Men with of rumors rambling around the mp3 player or a full keyboard, print, or Shop Savy, which turns phone which was released in an iPhone will never have to ask tech-gadget community, Black- the touch-screen does oper- your phone into a barcode scan- late October. for directions again since the de- berry finally announced their ate like a huge button so less ner with the help of the camera vice comes equipped with Google new smartphone, “Storm.” The mistakes are made. Unlike to compare prices online before AT&T’s iPhone Maps and GPS. It is a multi-task Storm has a touch screen with the iPhone, which can only making any purchase like text- The iPhone 3G is faster than phone that can take and email a a 3G network and 1GB of built read files and the camera can books at the school bookstore. ever with 16 GB and HSPDA photo or surf the web while on a in memory with the capabil- only takes pictures. Since the The G1 phone will be available (High-Speed Downlink Packet phone call. The iPhone 3G does ity to expand the memory up Storm can read HTML it is this winter and cost an estimat- Access) technology. Since it is not come equipped with Micro- to 16GB. The Storm has email easy to access websites with ed completely affordable $179 an Apple product it comes with soft Exchange, but the service can capabilities, internet browser, Wi-Fi or the 3G network. with required two-year contract a Mac operating system, and be acquired for an additional fee. GPS, mobile streaming for Because BlackBerry has al- with T-Mobile plus an addi- applications are only available The iPhone 3G costs an estimated video and music, 3.2 megapixel ways created phones keep- tional $30 unlimited data plan on Apple.com. All iPod lovers $299 and requires a two year con- camera for high-quality pictures ing business people in mind, added to the monthly service do not need to carry their iP- tract with AT&T. and video, and the ability to the Storm also works with charges. ods because the iPhone had a edit files in Microsoft programs BlackBerry Enterprise Serv- built mp3 player that includes Verizon’s Blackberry while on a phone call. Although er for Microsoft Exchange, Pinkology Club Walks Against Cancer

By Karen Gonsalves Boulevard on Sunday Octo- lege provided pink t-shirts for Feature Editor ber 19, 2008. the participants. Making Strides Against “The [York College] ad- It was a bright crisp Sunday Breast Cancer is the Ameri- ministration believes in what October morning and excite- can Cancer Society’s (ACS) we were doing,” said Desiree ment filled the air as thousands premier event to raise aware- Patton, founder of Pinkology. gathered at Queens Borough ness and funds to help fight “They thought it was positive, Hall, music played loudly and breast cancer and provide they thought it was good and cheerleaders performed a well- hope to people facing the dis- really was supportive. For next choreographed routine to re- ease. year, they are already planning sounding applause. Along with family, friends to make it bigger.” Pink balloons, pink flags and supporters of breast can- Pinkology raised approxi- and pink ribbons were the only cer survivors, various orga- mately five hundred dollars for indications that it was a breast nizations and clubs, includ- the ACS from students and fac- cancer awareness event. ing York College’s Pinkol- ulty. The club hopes to double More than 6,000 people - ogy Club, participated in the that amount for next year’s men and women, young and event. walk. old - took part in the annual The Pinkology Club, According to the ACS, since Making Strides Against Breast along with others, represent- 1993, 4 million walkers have The Pinkology Club, was among the 6,000 people, who walked five and a half miles for Cancer noncompetitive five and ed York College under the the fight against breast cancer. half mile walk along Queens Team York banner. The col- See Cancer Walk page13

PAGE 12 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu Feature 10 Question With Dr. Rahnuma Ahsan

By Julianna Hutson I went down to talk to them Editor in Chief about internships. Another aspect is, when the Assistant Professor in the interns are going to work with department of Accounting and Grameen, they will register Business, Dr. Rahnuma Ahsan, for a three credit (independent is one of the 22 new full time study) course and I will super- hires to join the York College vise the student. I am the link faculty. between York and Grameen. Dr. Ahsan, a native of Ban- gladesh, received a Bachelor in P.B.: Coming from a con- Business Administration from servative community where University of Dhaka, in 2001. women are not encouraged to Three years later she completed achieve much educationally, her M.B.A at Old Dominion how do you feel having ac- University (ODU) in Virginia complished what you have as in 2004. Earlier this year, at the a female? age of 30, Dr. Ahsan received I get that a lot. I have not ac- her Ph.D. in Finance from complished anything. My par- ODU. ents were very strict about edu- Dr. Ahsan interned at the cation. My grandmother would Grameen Trust, a subsidiary of have been the right person to the Nobel Prize Winning micro- ask that question. For her to go finance organization Grameen out there and venture out and be Bank which works to alleviate a bread earner, that was a revo- poverty by providing women Julianna Hutson • Pandora’s Box lution by itself coming from a with access to small business New faculty member Professor Rahnuma Ahsan came from the Nobel Peace Prize winning organization, Grameen Bank. very conservative respectable loans. Before joining York, she Muslim family. When I was was an adjunct instructor of fi- that thrives in capitalism. Ameri- ways wanted to do? P.B.: What’s the teach- growing up, education was a nance at ODU for two years. ca is one of the best examples of When I was in high school ing experience like, here, at priority. I was always told that capitalism, though in recent times I knew I wanted to teach, but York? if you put your mind something P.B.: Why did you choose to we do see the government inter- what I wanted to teach, I real- I like the diversity here. you will be able to accomplish study financing? vening in the banks and we do see ized when I was in my MBA. I am teaching international it. And again I haven’t ac- Finance is much more inter- failures of investment banks. But, My grand mother was a teacher business. And when you are complished anything on any esting, much more fun than ac- even after that, America remains a in the 1950s in Bangladesh. teaching international busi- standard. I am just an average counting in a sense that finance great example of capitalism. And She was very passionate about ness to international students, person. is more futuristic. You look at if you want to observe, learn, talk her students and I guess that that’s a treat. Students bring your company and you basi- about finance anywhere it should was the most attractive side of in their own experiences on P.B.: Any thoughts of re- cally decide what to do with the be America. And that’s my disci- teaching for me. You tend to so many levels. turning home? funds available in the future. pline -- finance. I would rather be take care of your students. You No. Not yet. Most likely That’s corporate finance, but if here -- where the action is. learn and you try to enrich oth- P.B.: You worked with not. you look at investment there is ers lives with that. Grameen Bank, what is that a whole a lot of fun there .You P.B.: So are you in tuned with about? P.B.: But you have your look at stocks you look at bonds what is going on in the news with P.B.: What was the experi- Very recently, Grameen Ph.D. and the market, the way it is re- Wall Street? ence like when you walked opened this pilot project in It’s a humbling experience. acting right now it is just amaz- I try to keep myself updated, into a classroom, as a teacher, Jackson Heights, Queens. It’s more humbling than any- ing to watch finance play out. but I do not necessarily under- for the first time? Because of my experience, thing else. You realize how lit- stand every single thing that is I was fine I was very com- because I speak the lan- tle you know—that’s why you P.B.: How did you end up happening. fortable. I guess I was ready for guage, I know the culture and get a Ph.D. coming to the United States to it. (Smiles) because I was exposed to the study? P.B.: Is teaching what you al- model at the grass root level Finance is such a subject Visit Us Online at: http://pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu Cancer Walk promoting being positive, intelli- Daley said she wants to start a think about it [cancer] you teers who have survived breast gent and fabulous. All associated foundation of her own. become angry and sad,” said cancer with newly diagnosed Continued From Page 12 around the concept of pink.” “I’d like to give free accesso- Reeman. “But you look at breast cancer patients to help The club is involved in vari- ries, wigs and jewelry to make things differently. You look them cope with their disease raised more than $280 million ous social issues such as breast women who are going through at things and say, this could by providing emotional support through Making Strides. Last cancer, which is represented by [breast cancer] feel better about be the last day that I’m do- and information. year, nearly 500,000 walkers a pink ribbon. “We are involved themselves,” she said. ing something and do I really “I really want to see breast across the country collected with anything associated with According to the New York want to do it like this?” cancer be a thing of the past,” more than $50 million to help pink and the concept of pink,” State Department of Health’s Reeman has been walking said Reeman. “I want people to fight breast cancer. Patton said. cancer registry, an estimated with Making Strides Against read about it in medical history The Pinkology Club started Caren Daley, a breast cancer 1,400 women in the Borough Breast Cancer for the last 14 books – a thing of the past.” walking with Stride Against survivor and a new member of of Queens are diagnosed with years. Breast Cancer last year and Pinkology, attended the walk for breast cancer each year. The “Being here, you get a hopes to make it a yearly event. the first time this year with her National Cancer Institute esti- feeling that you can’t really “ACS always reached out to family. mates that 182,460 women in describe,” she said. “It’s an York and since York has an as- Diagnosed two years ago with the United States will be di- overwhelming feeling. A Support the cure sociation with them before, we stage three breast cancer, Daley, agnosed with breast cancer in good feeling. You really feel decided to partner with them said she is doing well. “It was a 2008. good that you went out and for breast cancer since they reached out to us,” shock at first but I am fighting Robin Reeman, a 14-1/2- did something to help some- Patton said. every day.” She said that she has year survivor of breast cancer, body else. You are here to at “The philosophy of Pinkol- wonderful support from family, proudly wore a sash with the help the next person.” ogy is to be at your highest de- friends and her church. word, “SURVIVOR” printed in She is also involved in the breastcancer.org gree of excellence,” she said. Because of all the help she block letters. Reach to Recovery program “The mission of the club is received from so many people, “There are times when you that matches trained volun-

PAGE 13 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu

Crisis Budget Jacquet Sidelined for Season Continued From Page 7 Cuts or it will hit either at end of this year or in the first two quarters Continued From Page 5 By Oliver Gonzalez in 2009,” said Escamilla. “Un- Sports Reporter employment will rise and some fected the most. of the most pessimistic econo- Griffith however noted that the Kenny Jacquet, a star track mists say unemployment will one-time grant will not be suf- runner for the York College rise up to 10% which means up ficient to cover continuous costs Cardinals Indoor and Outfield to 10% of the population will that the state was previously able Track teams has won four City be unemployed which is a very to sustain. University of New York Ath- high number. Other economists “Is it realistic to expect that we letic Conference (CUNYAC) say the unemployment rate will would maintain the same level of Runner of the Week Awards so be 7.5 to 8% next year.” services with all these cuts? No,” far this season. Resolution: Coming Soon? Griffiths said. “The desire is there, Jacquet is going for num- But all is not lost Dr. Esca- but the reality is that something is ber five as he prepares for the milla believes there might be going to have to be cut.” ECAC (Eastern College Ath- some light at the end of the “We are in some a very tough letic Conference) and NCAA Courtesy of Athletic Departmen York College tunnel. He projects that the US situation,” he said. “I would love (National Collegiate Athletic Kenny Jacquet leads the Cross Country Pack economy will be in a recession to be able to say that there seems Association) Championships in in the first two quarters of 09 to be light at the end of the tun- a few weeks. Rookie of the Year started guess like with the adrenaline it and will rebound at the end of nel in the next year things will get “I guess when I first came this season at the Baruch In- pushes me to do more and it’s the same year. “The housing better, but I just don’t see it that in I didn’t really train over the vitational where he was one like going through practice I market has a correlation to the way.” summer and last summer I actu- of two runners to break the guess.” economy so when housing re- ally tried some training, doing 30-minute mark in the 8,000- As for the physical prepara- bounds so too does the econo- some stuff to pick up my legs meter race in Van Cortlandt tion, Coach is getting Jacquet my.” you know work the muscles,” Park, finishing second-place and the rest of the men’s team Visit pandorasbox.york. said Jacquet in a recent inter- with a time of 29:25. prepared by using the indoor cuny.edu for useful tips to sur- view. In reference to his prepa- track. vive the financial contraction. Comment on Now conditioning has be- ration for the upcoming “Put your body through the The second part of this article come a major part of Jacquet’s championship races, Jacquet motion,” said Jacquet, quot- will be published in the Decem- Budget Cuts at daily routine under his training is training his mind as well as ing Pope’s advice. “It basically ber 2008 edition of Pandora’s with Coach Thomas Pope. “It’s his body. means you know when you’re Box. Pandora’s Box pretty good, I like try to take “To me it’s like a mind running and your body gets one day to work on speed and set, during a normal track tired, the basic thing is you website. then rest then work on distance, meet I guess I’m basically slow down but if you’re used to mileage and stamina,” Jacquet just running and I treat it like this pace like you can run that said. practice,” said Jacquet. “And same pace.” The 2007 CUNYAC when the track meet comes I

9ORK#OLLEGE 4HE#ITY5NIVERSITYOF.EW9ORK *AMAICA .EW9ORK Kidnapper 5NITED3TATESOF!MERICA

Continued From Page 4 dent from the streets of Queens Jamaica.” County on a late autumn after- The Public Safety Department A Conference noon,” said Queens District At- at York College has made adjust- torney Richard A. Brown in a ments to ensure the safety of stu- Honoring press release issued hours after dents. According to the October the verdict was read. issue of Pandora’s Box, there is a the Research “Fortunately, the victim-who car service that the Public Safety displayed tremendous cour- Department has implemented that and Teaching age under pressure-managed can escort students to the subway to escape from her captor, al- or bus stop. of Joe Malkevitch though in the process she suf- Also according to the York fered physical injuries and has College website there are gate been deeply traumatized by the schedules for the many different ordeal.” entrances to the college that act While several students who as a safety precaution for both were interviewed for this article students and staff. In addition, the had not heard about the case, all Public Safety Department has a Joe reacted strongly after learning direct relationship with the 103rd about it. precinct in South Jamaica, and “It’s hard to say, because together each unit takes the nec- Fest everyone says it’s not safe here essary action with any crime or November 8, 2008 (on Jamaica Avenue),” said violation reported by students or Kimberly TK “But I take the staff. York College and the 103rd +EYNOTE3PEAKERS bus home and I don’t have late precinct both have a 24-hour $ONALD#ROWE5NIVERSITYOF7ISCONSIN -ADISON night classes, so it doesn’t af- hotline/tip number which is 718- 3TEVEN"RAMS.95 *ANOS0ACH#5.9 fect me. Thinking about going 262-2222. Both advise students or 7ALTER-EYER!DELPHI5NIVERSITY home late at night and from staff to use whenever necessary in /RGANIZING#OMMITTEE what I heard, it can be very un- an emergency. 4AEN 9U$AI safe for any female.” Littlejohn faces life in prison ,EWIS,ASSER Jennifer Munoz, another at his sentencing, which is sched- &ARLEY-AWYER student at York, had strong uled for Nov. 19 and is still facing #O #HAIRS views about the case and self- trial for the murder of St.Guillen. 2ISHI.ATH (ELEN3TRASSBERG defense. Littlejohn worked as the bouncer “Violence and hate come in at the Falls Bar Manhattan, where Conference Proceedings and Festschrift to be Published by all different shapes and forms,” St. Guillen was last seen alive. The Consortium Of Mathematics and its Applications (comap.com) said Munoz. “I like to promote Detectives allegedly found pepper spray to all women and traces of Littlejohn’s blood on www.york.cuny.edu/joefest for myself. You always have to plastic ties that St. Guillen’s killer lookout for yourself and be pre- used to bind her hands behind her pared today, especially here in back.

PAGE 14 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 pandorasbox.york.cuny.edu Sports Pink Day NYJTL Kids Vote

Continued From Page 16

Clubs afterschool program a secondary level, which they began to educate their par- do understand by the way that ticipants to believe that their they can make a difference. opinions do count and will “And children tend to un- affect society in future years derstand that better than adults. to come. See children would take that However, according to very naturally, ‘oh yes my vote Dr. Donna M. Chirico, the does count,’ because children Psychology Program Coor- are so egotistic that they think dinator at York College, “A that what they have to say is so second grader does not have important to other people. So if the same thinking as a middle [society] could reinforce that school student, and a middle continually it would be a good school student does not have thing,” the same thinking as a high While the New York Ju- school student.” In order for nior Tennis League is a tennis the experience of voting in program, they strive to teach elementary school to affect children to be well-rounded a child when they become an citizens. adult is for it to be repeated “Watching our children grow over and over, she added. into educated, empowered, Whenever children partic- well groomed, citizens of the ipate in mock elections, it is society who can in turn be ac- usually done during Presiden- tive members of their commu- Stefan Singh - Pandora’s Box tial elections. “Maybe that’s nity is what we at site 37 strive Lady Cardinals sport their pink and white uniforms in observance of breast cancer awareness against CSI’s Dolphins the downfall,” said Chirico. for,” said Moore. By conduct- “We don’t do this every Elec- ing this election, the Aces Club Stefan Singh said sophomore Vivien Reid. “This game today showed tion Day, so they don’t see it after school program at P.S. 37 Sports Editor “I personally see my team as a them that they can do it, they as something they need to do has begun to put forth the mes- bunch of fighters. We don’t come played one of their best match- all the time. It has to be re- sage that children’s opinions do The month of October is out here and give up, we play the es,” said Titus. “When I say that inforced at home, in school, matter, and someday they will recognized as Breast Cancer games fully through.” I mean they really played hard, that part of their obligation is matter even more. Awareness Month, and the York The ladies started strong in the they were quick on their subs to vote and to understand on College Volleyball Lady Cardi- first game, taking a 4-0 lead, but and they had a lot of digs, I was nals honored that tradition by CSI battled back to take an 8-7 really proud of them today.” hosting Pink Day. lead on an attack error by middle Although the team’s divi- In tribute to the victims of back Rochelle Bourne. CSI would sional record wasn’t very good breast cancer, the team spent eventually take the game with a (3-6), they have still clinched the evening of Oct. 21 educat- final score of 25-17. a City University of New York Come out and support the York Soccer ing fans about the dangers of The second game proved to be Athletic Conference (CUNY- breast cancer. a closer, more suspenseful battle AC) tournament berth. A spot Cardinals who defend their champion- The event began with guest for the women of York. The game that many on the team feel speaker, Jerelyn Cortez, talking was comprised of 10 ties and five they deserve, including junior, ship in the final match against the to the fans in attendance about lead changes. But the fifth and fi- Stephanie Ostin. “Our record the history of breast cancer, the nal lead change marked the end doesn’t reflect how good we are Hunter College Hawks dangers, warning signs, and of for the ladies in the second game as a team, we’re always togeth- her personal encounter with the of the night as CSI took a 17-16 er, we do things off the field to- disease. lead, and went on to win by a final gether, and we actually do play Cortez’s mother and grand- of 25-21. with heart,” said Ostin. mother were both victims of the The third game proved to be The Lady Cardinals will take disease. Witnessing her mother a heart breaker for the Lady Car- on the Hunter College Hawks dying at an early age motivated dinals as they were seemingly on in the opening round of the Cortez to pursue educating oth- route to a win with a 16-10 lead, tournament. Heading into the ers about breast cancer. before CSI turned it on and came playoffs coach Titus has confi- S PORTS Brief After the presentation the back to take a 17-16 lead. A lead dence in his team. Lady Cardinals stormed the they would not relinquish, as they “They work hard, and we “Meet the Parents Night” court to take on the Dolphins went on to take the game by a fi- have a lot of things to work on, from the College of Staten Is- nal score of 25-16. Titus said of his team. “They In October York College’s Athletics Department held land (CSI). Considering CSI’s Despite losing all three games are following the game plan. “Meet the Parents Night. The event was “an opportunity 12-8 season record, York knew the Lady Cardinals showed an They are prepared for their for our parents to come in and meet the coaches,” said they had a tough match ahead enormous amount of grit, and tal- match against Hunter. Their York’s Athletics Director Ronald St. John. “It’s important of them. ent. They battled hard, and laid it motivation has them prepared for them to know that our number one priority is watching The match served as a testa- all on the line. They may not have to compete. I feel strongly that their children graduate. While we take away from their kids ment to the Lady Cardinals sea- walked out of the York College we are going to play much [bet- study time with games, and practice, we also provide the son as they battled their hearts Gymnasium with a victory, but ter] in the playoffs.” environment for them to progress academically, with our out, but were unable to trump they did walk out with their hon- new student lounge and computer lab right in our building. CSI in either of three games in or, respect, and a pat on the back the match. “We are fighters!” from head coach Andre Titus. Soccer Field Renovation Updates

York’s Athletics Department has yet to release the name Announcement: of the private organization they have been talking to over WINTER SESSION 2009 AND SPRING 2009 the last few months. According to Ronald St. John, talks be- tween York and the organization are not dead, but rather on REGISTRATION: hold. “We are still waiting for CUNY to get back to us. We  All continuing York College students will be able to have to get approval to remodel because this is a multimil- register for the Winter Session 2009 and Spring 2009 lion dollar project. We just can’t start something like this semester beginning, December 1, 2008. without their permission,” said St. John. “After that talks will continue on; however I am looking to use the money  Notifications to register for classes will be mailed to we have in play to start redoing the soccer field. If we could students. do that it would be wonderful for us.”  For further information please visit the York College website at: www.york.cuny.edu

PAGE 15 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008 Soccer Cardinals Attempt Tournament Repeat

Oliver Gonzalez is the real deal. If you lose you go In every game players, and Sports Reporter home and that’s where we step up coaches alike want to make an our game.” early statement. “Our statement The York College men’s soc- After the game against City in the game was to score right cer team will defend their 2007 College, Vilsaint, a sophomore, away because I play on de- championship title after beating said, “The win feels good, today fense we have Bash (Arahman Medgar Evers College 3-1 on is my birthday so I had to score Bashiru) and they’re not going penalty kicks on Nov. 1. one” and with 17:56 left that was to score on us, so we have to The Cardinals now face exactly what he did. score quickly,” said Riche. Hunter College on Nov. 8 for First year assistant coach, Ka- Kouakou said, “We told the the City University of New fui Kouakou said, “Coming in to players that this is the playoffs York Athletic Conference (CU- the game today I was confident and we have to go one at a time, NYAC) Tournament Cham- because I know we have the guys so no mistakes we have to take pionship. The game will be that can do their job, and pretty over our chances and once we played at the College of Staten much they try their best.” have a goal we have to score, Island. “We weren’t really worried that’s what we had to do be- The victory followed York’s about CCNY, we were worried cause this is the playoffs so we previous win over the City Col- about Medgar Evers because we kept them with that focus.” lege of New York (CCNY) Bea- want to play them in the semifi- The Cardinals followed their vers the week before, advanc- nals because every year we kick 2007 regular season first-place ing them to the semi-finals. In them out of the playoffs so I’m finish with, a 2008 second place that game, Elysee Vilsaint, 23, looking forward to that,” said finish in the CUNYAC. While scored the game-winning (and Richie confidently. they played well enough to only) goal of the game. Second year starter, Ansel earn the respect of the rest of Vilsaint scored the first of Bobb, 22, said “The mentality the league, many on the team the three penalty kicks that was home-field advantage, go out still felt that they were much secured the Cardinals’ victory there, and win the game early. better than their record showed. against Medgar Evers. I mean [CCNY] gave us a good “I mean we should have done The Cardinals made the play- game. It feels good, it was a tough better, we could have won more offs with an overall record of 9 win, we made it harder than it was; games, but there were some wins 7 loses. Dukens Riche, the but, we got the victory and that’s games that we were missing a team captain said, “[In the] reg- what’s important. So I’m looking few guys. You win some, you ular season we were just trying forward for the next game, got to lose some, but hopefully we’re to get warmed up to play in the play hard, work hard in practice still on the watch so we can still playoffs because you know this and we’ll be alright,” said Bobb. win.” Courtesy of the Athletic Department York College Elysee Vilsaint controls the ball in the Cardinals Victory Kids Get Lessons in Tennis and Civics

Stefan Singh tunity to vote. A polling station Sports Editor was created and placed on the first floor hallway. Throughout To be an eligible American the day, one class at a time ap- voter, one must be an 18 year proached the polling station and old citizen. If you do not meet each student privately cast their this minimum criterion, your votes. The hallways filled with opinion means virtually noth- chatter about the election. ing on Election Day. That is the “I’m going to vote for message that minors are given Obama because I want him to by society. be the first African American This message is instilled into president,” said first grader their little heads because they Makaila Cambridge. are not only denied the oppor- “I want Barack Obama to be tunity to vote, they are rarely the president because he plays asked to voice their political basketball, said first grader Da- opinions. vian Harris. But this year at one of Stefan Singh • Pandora’s Box By the end of the day all 75 the New York Junior Ten- Sixth grader Juemori Carty t at PS 37 in Jamaica casts votes in mock election. students attending the program nis League’s (NYJTL’s) Aces that day cast their vote, and Site Clubs after school sites, Public learn about elections and voting The NYJTL is a non-profit of both individuals, and they Director, Tiffany Moore, began School 37 in Jamaica Queens, because, as fourth grader Catorra organization aimed at devel- have been given the opportu- to count. elementary school students got Leader said, “It allows us to voice oping the character of young nity to have many discussions By the end of the count it to cast their votes for President our own opinions.” people through tennis, while and debates about the two was clear that P.S. 37 was a of the United States on Election By telling them that they are instilling the values of tennis candidates. “I told my group, Democratic school. 72 of the Day 2008. not allowed to vote until they are great, Arthur Ashe. P.S. 37 is the Yellow Chickadees, to go 75 total votes cast went in fa- Were their votes actually 18 years old, society is groom- just one of NYJTLs many sites home and talk to mommy and vor of democratic representa- counted in the election pro- ing children to not care. Not only where pre-dominantly African daddy, and watch the news tive Barack Obama. cess? No; however by giving that but, by telling them their vote American students ranging to find out as much as they The question as to who them the opportunity to cast doesn’t count we are taking away from ages six to twelve years could about both of the can- will be president of the United their votes, P.S. 37 is beginning their right to voice their opinions. old study. didates,” said Stacie Persaud, States may not have been de- to teach their students that what Sure, students are taught in At the school, the group the group leader for one of cided at P.S. 37 on Election they have to say does matter, middle school and high school leaders and activity specialists the first grade groups. “They Day; however, the question of and will affect society in the about what elections are and what have spent the last few months then came back to class and what that day at P.S. 37 meant future. politics is all about. But they are educating the children about the had a debate about the two was defintely raised. The opinions of minors are never given the chance to expe- 2008 elections. The students candidates.” That day marks the day important, because children are rience the voting procedure, and have learned of both Barack After months of prepara- that the facilitators of the Aces the future voters of this coun- cast their vote. They are simply Obama and John McCain. They tion, Nov. 4th arrived, and try. It is important for kids to schooled about it. have learned about the policies with it, the student’s oppor- See NYJTL page15

PAGE 16 I PANDORA’S BOX November 2008