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/ VOLUME 143, ISSUE 22 MONDAY,Campus NOVEMBER 7, 2016 Times SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER COMMUNITY SINCE 1873 / campustimes.org At Town Hall, Tensions Flare at Palestine Awareness Event Students Say OMSA Needs Own Space BY ANGELA LAI PUBLISHER The Office of Minority Stu- dent Affairs (OMSA) should have its own office space, UR students and staff stressed at a River Campus town hall meet- ing last Monday discussing the Presidential Commission on Race and Diversity’s recent re- port. At a sparsely attended meeting in the Hawkins-Carlson Room the afternoon of Nov. 1, audi- ence members addressed that and other concerns to President Joel Seligman, University Dean Paul Burgett, and Dean of the College Richard Feldman. “I strongly encourage us to work together and find a space our students will be able to call their home again,” OMSA Aca- demic Programming Coordina- tor Claudia De Leon said. JUSTIN TROMBLY / MANAGING EDITOR Sophomore Elie Cohen (left), a pro-Israel community member (center), and sophomore Farida Ibrahim (right) speak at the Nov. 2 Palestine Awareness Month event. OMSA currently shares an of- fice with the Center for Educa- BY JUSTIN TROMBLY non who said he is “technically has a “clear anti-Israel agenda.” ident, acknowledged the group’s tion Abroad in Dewey 2-161. MANAGING EDITOR stateless,” had done the same, The documentary, “The Occu- “defensiveness by having Public De Leon, the first to speak each discussing travel and other pation of the American Mind: Is- Safety police the event” in a later once the floor opened, said that It seemed bound to happen. restrictions in their homelands for rael’s Public Relations War in the email, but said it “had to be de- OMSA has repeatedly been Tensions flared WednesdayPalestinians and refugees. United States,” argued that Israel fensive against an offensive and pushed aside. night during a Q&A session fol- “I’m not here to argue, I’m not and its allies have shaped Ameri- potentially violent force” for the While the Education Abroad lowing the screening of a docu- here to convince you,” the ques- can media coverage of its policies safety of the event’s attendees. office had been given an oppor- mentary critical of Israel, as audi- tioner said, raising his voice, be- in the Gaza Strip and other dis- Nhan also said that Dean of tunity to move into a nicer space, ence questioners at the Students College Admission Jonathan she said, the decision to move for a Democratic Society (SDS) Burdick had advised the group to had been made for OMSA. event clashed with panelists and contact Public Safety, but Burdick She added that students did moderators amid complaints and told the Campus Times that he not request additional meeting cheers from the crowd. had only suggested a member of spaces for OMSA, as stated on And the conflict continued af- the group be ready to call in case page nine of the report. Rather, ter the event—when its panelists “someone decides to act inappro- those students had demanded a and SDS members allege that an priately.” separate office space. audience member came uncom- “During the event I briefly saw “We as students do not have fortably close to one panelist and a Facebook Live recording, and adequate space to receive the berated her with questions, while I was surprised to see that Pub- proper resources, support, and others surrounded them. lic Safety was there,” he said. “If open environment that we “Is this for education purpos- the group had been following my need,” she read from the report’s es?” the first man to the audience advice [...] that would only have appendices. microphone asked, after identi- been true if something disruptive When discussing her own ex- fying himself as a Jewish refugee had already occurred.” perience with the disadvantages forced from Libya in 1967 who is JUSTIN TROMBLY / MANAGING EDITOR His advice, sent verbatim to the of a shared space, she cited an in- not popularly considered a refu- Campus Times, included phrases Public Safety officers monitor traffic into and out of Wednesday’s event. cident when a colleague asked a gee because he is not Palestinian. like “don’t try to exclude anyone” student about their involvement “What point are you trying to fore asking, “Are the people who puted territories to reflect posi- and “SDS isn’t having this event in a protest and whether they make?” called out an attendee, organized this intending to pres- tively on it and negatively on Pal- just to talk to themselves, right? had been arrested. one of a string of frustrations ent the other side?” estinians. Make this an opportunity to in- Her colleague’s good inten- people aired with the questioner. He was promptly shouted away At least 100 people attended vite others to listen and learn.” tions were lost, she said, when “You want to ask me a ques- from the microphone. the screening, including four De- it came to OMSA’s students and tion about my experiences, or his partment of Public Safety officers, Interruption, Shouts how they enter safe spaces. experience, or her experience?” Surrounding Criticism whose presence SDS’ advisor had The recent controversy seemed Others wondered about the asked Fawzi Ali, a junior panel- The days leading up to the requested. to hang in the air. overlaps and distinctions be- ist and American-Palestinian dual screening had been filled with Throughout the event, officers Organizers opened with re- tween the David T. Kearns Cen- citizen who earlier had described criticism, and defense, of SDS let people waiting outside the marks about the criticism. Dur- ter, the Paul J. Burgett Intercul- visiting family in Palestine. and its Palestinian Awareness Morey Hall auditorium through ing one scene in the film featuring tural Center (ICC), and OMSA. Co-panelists freshman Ariel Month encouraged by a widely- the doors whenever someone left, a strong pro-Israel address, scant Black Students’ Union presi- Adelman, who was born in Israel, shared opinion piece written in despite objections from viewers applause came from the back of dent and junior Caryl English and senior Ibrahim Mohammad, the Campus Times by senior Yael who were saving seats. the auditorium. It was met with SEE TOWN HALL PAGE 3 a Palestinian refugee from Leba- Schiller that claimed the group Senior Nhan Le, SDS co-pres- SEE PALESTINE PAGE 3 INSIDE SDS DEFENDS FOOD RECOVERY INTERVIEW WITH FIELD HOCKEY PALESTINE EVENTS NETWORK AT UR THE PIXIES TOPS UR RECORD THIS CT PAGE 5 OPINIONS PAGE 6 FEATURES PAGE 11 A&E PAGE 16 SPORTS PAGE 2 / campustimes.org NEWS / MONDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2016 Diwali Lights Up May Room BY ALLISON RECHT formances celebrating Diwali, CONTRIBUTING WRITER beginning with two soloists singing traditional Indian The graduate Rochester In- songs. Then, the six-piece dian Association celebrated its band “Hazaaron Khwahishein” flagship event, Diwali, in the (which roughly translates to May Room of Wilson Com- “A Thousand Dreams”) per- mons on Saturday night. formed four Indian songs—a Arnab Kar, a research associ- mix of traditional and modern ate who celebrated his eighth Indian music. Diwali at the University this Later, a seven-person dance year, explained that Diwali is troupe called “Saptak” took “a festival of lights.” the stage, beginning with a “It’s celebrated in India,” he solo breakdance before mov- said. “In a way, it’s a celebra- ing to a Bollywood-themed tion of the victory of good number. The six-piece acoustic against evil.” band “Saras” followed, until, Adil Khan, a fourth-year finally, the two-person dance graduate student and presi- group “Titli” ended the dance dent of the organization, said sequence an energetic, modern LEAH NASON / PHOTO EDITOR that his favorite thing about piece. the holiday is the camaraderie. The last performance of the 2016 SOUTH ASIAN EXPO REPS SEVEN COUNTRIES “People are so busy that they night was a comedic play titled don’t get time to mingle with “The Mistake,” which featured Junior Adil Ali and friends enjoy interactive games, cultural performances, and a fashion show at this year’s the misadventures of a pair of South Asian Expo. each other very much,” he ex- plained. “But during festive graduate students involving a times, you get together with Viking-themed underworld, PUBLIC SAFETY UPDATE friends [...] it’s an easier time thinly-veiled parodies of this to relax and have some fun.” year’s presidential debates, and Student’s Wallet Taken From Rush Rhees (1) Outside the event was a Ran- the untold power of fortune goli, or sand painting, depict- cookies. OCT. 29—A student’s wallet was taken from Rush 4 Rhees Library. ing a Diya, an oil lamp. Inside, The night ended with a the May Room was filled with dance party, with the music lights, and the Indian Associa- provided by DJs Sayak and Bike Stolen from CSB (2) tion sold samosas and a drink Karan. For its attendees, this OCT. 31—A bicycle was reported stolen from the called mango lassi, a type of a was a Diwali to remember. Computer Science Building. mango smoothie. Recht is a member of 1 There were a series of per- the Class of 2018. Vehicle Broken Into in Park Lot (3) NOV. 2—A student’s headphones were taken from Sexual Assault Victims Hopeman Hall. 3 Take Back the Night Fauver Play Clock Damaged (4) BY LUCY WU led to the flesh and teeth of what NOV. 2—An unknown person damaged the play clock 5 CONTRIBUTING WRITER schools are required to do.” on Fauver Field. In the candlelight march 2 Over 100 members of the that followed, students walked UR community gathered in the around the Eastman Quadrangle Welles-Brown Room last Thurs- Intruder Found in Goergen Dumpster (5) holding candles as a gesture of day evening for Take Back the solidarity.

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