Dumpster-Diving: Hobo Practice or Political Statement?

By Damon Beres

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It’s 9:30 p.m. when dinner is served for Damian Leslie. A hunched old man labors to bring the massive feast to him and it takes several trips just to haul it all out. No, it’s not Thanksgiving, nor is Leslie about to devour a ten-course meal. In fact, he may not get to eat anything at all; the meal he’s waiting on is buried in heaps of garbage delivered to a street corner by an employee of Gristedes Supermarket in Manhattan.

Most people probably associate sifting through trash with the homeless or poor. But so-called “freegans” turn dumpster diving into a political movement. Eating discarded food items from groceries and restaurants has been turned into a demonstration for better waste management and environmental policies, complete with rallies, “trash tours,” and a website called Freegan.info to provide information and freegan networking.

“I’ve been doing it since ’98 or ’99,” said Leslie. “It facilitates a cheap lifestyle. I like to travel a lot throughout the U.S., hitchhiking or using free modes of transportation.”

For many college students, the thought of free meals probably seems appealing. Meal plans at any university take a big bite out of students’ already hurting wallets, and there are other environmental concerns to take into account, as NYU freshman Alex Hart describes.

“I think a large amount of food waste is generated by the dining halls, and I’d really like to see some system go into order to either reduce that or put it to use somehow,” said Hart. “I know they officially discourage people from taking more than they can eat in the dining halls but I’ve never really seen that enforced in any formal way.”

Nevertheless, the thought of turning to dumpsters and refuse for every meal may be difficult to choke down, especially at a school like NYU where there are 12 different locations to use the meal plan. But freegans can make an impact in other ways, and they don’t necessarily need to eat rotten eggs mixed in with used diapers to get a meal. Leslie works at a food co-op, a grocery store that gives its workers food instead of cash, which he says embodies the DIY, or “do-it-yourself,” spirit, “a cornerstone of freegans.”

Blair Ednie, a freegan from the New School, also integrates a host of waste-reducing, eco-friendly alternatives into his life that those too squeamish to dumpster dive might consider. “My goal as a freegan is to limit my destruction of the environment, which I take to mean the world as a whole,” said Ednie. “I do this by reducing my personal waste and the waste of others, and by boycotting as many products as possible, which removes the economic incentive for those who produce them, and by riding a bike instead of driving, using a handkerchief instead of disposable tissues, patching my pants instead of buying new ones.”

And a number of organizations exist to help any and all interested parties reduce their waste production. The Freegan Bike Workshop, for instance, offers a host of mechanics that assist people in repairing and constructing bicycles for no cost (“come out and get a free bicycle, anyone” the website proclaims). Meetings occur every Wednesday from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. and every Saturday from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Located at 123 Community Space in Brooklyn on 123 Tompkins, the bike workshop is seated in the heart of the freegan community, where an array of freegan-favorite grocery stores are also located. Leslie himself is from Brooklyn and says that many freegans congregate there.

However, there are also a number of locations in Manhattan and elsewhere that are sympathetic to the cause, like Bluestockings, a “radical bookstore” on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, which has an organic café and stocks everything from books to “alternative menstrual products and other oddly hard-to-find good things.”

With a mounting garbage crisis in New York City and the popularization of “going green,” the freegan way is one worth considering. From baby steps like patching pants to the sheer glory of inhaling discarded fish bits, freeganism offers a variety of ways to better the urban jungle you live in. And for students, it may even offer a little peace of mind, as well.

“Being freegan helps me to feel like I am actually accomplishing something in my own way, and I don't have to make concessions,” said Ednie. “I don't have to despair at feeling one thing and doing another. I can live my beliefs.”

Think You Have a Crazy Roommate?

By Alexandra Beggs

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A roommate who leaves their dishes in the sink for a month is one thing. A roommate who brings home a different girl every night, including a gold-toothed cafeteria worker, is another.

These horror stories are not a rarity on college campuses. In fact, it seems like every student has either had a “crazy roommate,” or knows someone who has. But students often take the passive route; when confrontation is necessary, they back away. When the problem becomes out of control, many students do not know which way to turn, and may end up living in a barely tolerable environment.

Danny Nelson, a junior at Texas A&M University, was a victim of fate in the lottery all college students dread—the roommate lottery. When he was a freshman at the University of Houston, Nelson’s roommate wasn’t a problem during the day. But, Nelson said, “At night, I would wake up to my roommate having sex with either his girlfriend, or some random girl he picked up.” When one of these women was a campus cafeteria worker with a gold tooth, Nelson said seeing her at the cafeteria made him lose his appetite.

Warning signs began on day one. Nelson asked his roommate, Aaron (whose name has been changed for privacy), a football player, why he wasn’t living in the athlete apartments. Aaron said he used to live there, but an ex-girlfriend, along with family members, did a drive-by shooting on the apartments, shooting the walls but not injuring anyone. The police investigated and when they found out he was linked to the shooting, Aaron was forced to move out. Although Nelson was hesitant to believe the story, and most of what Aaron said, it foreshadowed events to come.

After putting up with numerous nights of his roommate’s escapades, Nelson decided it was time for confrontation. But the only response he received from Aaron, Nelson said, “was inviting me to join, unless it was his girlfriend, or that I was welcome to watch.”

Realizing that the situation was not going to improve, Nelson feared another confrontation because he described Aaron as “a pretty violent guy.” According to Nelson, Aaron had frequented the court house about five times during their semester together. “He told me he was a convicted felon,” Nelson said, although again doubting the truth of the statement.

Aaron’s move-out day finally came. But he did not go gently. He failed to schedule a leaving appointment, turn in his key, and, “Destroyed his trashcan, tore up the furniture, and was fined around $500 for the damage.” Nelson said. But the storm had passed.

Susan Fee, author of “My Roommate is Driving Me Crazy,” says that sex in the room is “too far.” While students tolerate a lot from their roommates, she says, some behavior is unacceptable. When dealing with a problematic roommate, Fee advises that students “start early, and start small.” She says situations often go from bad to worse because students fail to talk to resident assistants or do not confront their roommates when the behavior is initiated.

The problem students have with confrontation is that they avoid speaking “face to face,” Fee says, which is usually the easiest solution. Often the problematic roommate has communication issues, such as having awkward confrontations through notes, email, or instant messages, when both students are in the same room.

She said these methods of avoidance are not helpful. Students need to speak to their roommates, but not in an accusatory tone. When talking about the issues, students should keep the focus on, “how is this going to work for both of us.” Fee says, “Do not wait until the student gets a clue, because they won’t.” Students assume that eventually their roommate will realize their fault, but instead the problems grow.

Fee recalled a male student who complained that his roommate was a strict environmentalist who refused to bathe in order to conserve water. He also rejected soap and deodorant for similar reasons, and the result was an unbearable odor. But Fee also notes that a lack of bathing is a possible (and common) sign of depression. She says, “Students need to recognize what’s a dangerous situation.” Those issues are especially crucial, and students should not hesitate to inform the proper resident counselors.

Many roommate issues are not as extreme as these, but they can become the topic of “whose roommate is crazier” contests. Jason Lang, a recent graduate of New York University, had a roommate who collected reptiles.

While Lang attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, he shared a house with three other students. Because one of the roommates was frightened by the collection of reptiles, the snakes were kept outside in a shed. Joe (whose name has also been changed), the roommate who owned the snakes, snuck one of his three-foot long snakes into the house and hid it under his bed because it was ill.

Lang recalled the scene, “His room also had a lot of junk in it, including his bass guitars, a refrigerator, a crazy stereo system, and all the little critters he fed his snakes. That end of the house frequently sounded like a rock concert and smelled like a petting zoo.”

One night the roommates decided to throw a house party, while the clandestine snake was still residing under Joe’s bed. A group of students found the snake, and somehow it was released into the party.

“I was in the kitchen at the time and suddenly all this screaming broke out from the one end of the house. I ran over and was eventually directed to the snake huddled in a ball behind a couch in the living room,” Lang said.

But the snake had caused a mass hysteria in the house, and Megan, the roommate who claimed that a traumatic event in her childhood had created her phobia of snakes, “panicked herself into such a fit that she immediately ran into an adjacent bathroom and threw up,” said Lang.

Lang said he would never forget that chaotic night, “Drunken college students and a loose snake in a party yields one hell of an eruption.”

While many students may not have such comic memories of roommate tribulations, each story sparks another. The universality of “roommate issues” is just one of the many new challenges that college students must face, endure, or embrace. The outrageous stories can be fodder for writing material, dinner conversation, or evidence in court. But when it seems like everyone has had at least one crazy roommate experience, there can only be one conclusion: college students, across the country, are all a little crazy.

NYU College Republicans: The Elephants in the Room

By Lisa Bonarrigo

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Think you can find one Republican at New York University? You may not know any. But attend a College Republicans meeting, and you’ll find that they do, in fact, exist.

Conservatives at NYU are undoubtedly in the political minority, but their smaller number hasn’t stopped them from engaging in a dialogue with the Democrats. With a few primaries remaining and the general presidential election quickly approaching, the College Republicans haven’t lowered their voices.

Hampton Williams, President of the NYU College Republicans, says that he’s never found it difficult to voice his opinions at NYU, and that this year is no different. “Because it is an election year doesn’t mean that my beliefs and views are not challenged on a daily basis. I think I am more outspoken now,” Williams said.

He also stressed the importance of being able to discuss important issues with the Democrats. “I think that that kind of political discourse has been twisted to the point where we don’t even allow the opposition to talk. And that’s one thing that my club and many across the nation are very concerned about – that these political organizations and politically affiliated clubs are not engaging in an academic examination or discussion,” Williams said.

Professor of Sociology at NYU, Ed Lehman, says that dialogue is a “central feature of academic life.” “It’s good to be with people who share the same beliefs and values, but it can’t become so rigid that the dialogue and academic component disappears. This requires a considerable degree of tolerance and understanding,” he said.

Fraser Ridgely Dachille, Webmaster for the NYU College Republicans, says that although he doesn’t find it difficult to be a Republican on campus, he does find it hard at times for his point of view to be understood by others. “Most of the legitimate discussion is open-minded and genuine; however, there have been a few people who have just shut down upon hearing my opinion,” Dachille said.

Professor Lehman said that forming groups, such as the College Republicans and Democrats have done, “creates a common sense of identity and a level of support.” But, as Dachille has seen, this can also lead to isolation, Professor Lehman said. “The danger is that we simply become isolated in our islands…Sometimes we create tribes that see others as heretical and alien,” he said.

Others have found it to be rewarding to engage in friendly discussion on political matters. “A lot of my friends are Democrats. It’s nice to be with people who share such different political beliefs. A façade is down because you’re friends, so you get to really see what their views are,” Sports Coordinator and Intramural Captain of the NYU College Republicans, Rick Halmo, said.

Halmo agreed with Williams, saying that the Democratic dominance at NYU has not stopped the Republicans from sharing their thoughts during this election year. “A lot more people are involved this year. A lot of people feel like they have something to lose now – they’re more vocal, and it’s more interesting,” he said.

The NYU College Republicans seemed to be just as, if not more, vocal last year. They put together a notorious event last spring, titled “Find the Illegal Immigrant,” which was nationally covered by the news and stirred much controversy among students. Though the club hasn’t cowered from voicing their opinions this year, Rick Rossi, Social Chair for the club, said that the events they’ve hosted this year are more toned down.

Halmo explained that although the event last year was viewed by some as negative, it provided the necessary dialogue and debate discussed by Williams and Professor Lehman. “The illegal immigration event contained both civil and non-civil experiences. There was a six-on-one debate – obviously, I was the one…But it was actually fun. We welcomed the challenge…It’s important that we understand the fact that not only should we say what we feel, but we should deliver our message in a way that doesn’t alienate [the Democrats], but engages them in a dialogue that’s fruitful,” Halmo said.

Are You Safe On Campus?

By Jamie Letica

A new ordinance that would allow concealed weapons on some college campuses has students questioning their safety.

The new legislation allows students older than 21 to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon. The legislation protects the safety of the students by allowing students to respond on their own to dangers that may arise. When passed in a certain state, the legislation allows the college and universities in that state to decide
whether they want to participate in the act. The ordinance has already passed on some campuses in Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado, Vermont, and Alaska, and is now being considered in Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Idaho, and Washington D.C. At the moment, Utah is the only state which allows students and professors to carry concealed guns at all of its public colleges.

Grace Lindvall, a sophomore at the University of Michigan, one of the states that is considering the ordinance, believes that students cannot be trusted with guns. “I think the people who want to carry guns on them daily want to use them, rarely for the right purposes.” Lindvall believes that allowing students to carry a concealed weapon makes a campus less safe. She suggests that this promotes an attitude of violence. “If protection is the purpose for this law then the state should take more protective action with police and campus safety, rather than allowing students to bring weapons just in case.”

Gabe Sirkman, also a sophomore at the University of Michigan, strongly agrees. “Someone with murderous intents but without a gun can’t act with the same speed and lack of consciousness that someone with a gun can.” Sirkman says he is scared because “at the click of a button someone can decide if someone else lives or dies.”

The University of Michigan prohibits weapons on campus, except in very specific circumstances. Diane Brown, a public safety information officer at the University of Michigan, says the university as a whole would be opposed to any law which counters their current policy on weapons.

Rick Appling, the president of Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC) strongly supports the bill. The SCCC is a group of 24,000 college students, college faculty members, parents of college students, and concerned citizens who support concealed carry on campuses. Appling strongly believes that trained, licensed people more than 21 years of age should be able to carry concealed weapons for protection. Nineteen of the thirty-two victims of the Virginia Tech. massacre were older than 21 (the legal age limit for obtaining a concealed handgun license in Virginia). Appling wants the ordinance to pass because he does not want students to have to count the seconds until the police arrive. “I don’t live my life in fear, I will not die on my knees” he said. Appling and the SCCC as a whole want to educate college campuses throughout the nation on the advantages of concealed weapons.

While, New York is one of the states that has no immediate intentions of passing the legislation, students at New York University, a campus that is not associated with SCCC, are beginning to grapple with this new idea plaguing their fellow students.

Rebecca Greenberg, a sophomore at New York University, does not believe in guns. “Who is to say that if you have a gun sitting around someone else may not steal it and use it to kill?” In almost all situations, Greenberg believes the presence of guns makes the situation more dangerous.

Rob Schlissel, a senior at New York University, is old enough to warrant a permit for concealed carry in some states. He feels strongly that concealed weapons on college campuses are productive in promoting violence, but counterproductive in promoting the peace the SCCC is looking for. In response to the idea of this ordinance ever being allowed on New York University’s campus, Schlissel said he is glad to be graduating. ###





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Abusing Prescription Drugs for the Grade

By Cory Carroll

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It isn’t just Starbucks and Red Bull that are keeping studious students up at night.

College all-nighters used to be fueled by cheap coffee and Marlboro Lights. But students have uncovered a new way to cram for exams and compose papers. University students are now popping prescription pills to keep them energized and alert throughout the night. As students are now turning to ADD (attention deficit disorder) drugs, like Adderall, the youth generation is proving that ‘the kids aren’t alright.’

Adderall is a prescription drug prescribed to individuals with ADD to further their concentration and provide energy for endurance. Aside from using the drug for studying purposes, students are also bringing Adderall into their social life.

According to studies currently being conducted at the Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) at the University of Maryland College Park, researchers have found that non-prescribed users “in college […] skipped classes more often, spent more time socializing, and spent less time studying.”

Led by Amelia M. Arria, Ph D., CESAR is doing a longitudinal study of college students, and have pointed out in their research the lack of information about abusing prescription drugs that is available and provided to students.

Jackie R., a CAS junior at NYU, said that she has never taken them because “they frankly scare me,” but said that she is aware of people that “have gotten addicted and it is usually to counteract any other pills they are abusing.”

While fear of the dangers of the pills detracts many from abusing prescription drugs, many believe that one can obtain better grades by being able to sustain concentration and stay awake longer as they have effects similar to that of speed.

According to CESAR’s “Nonmedical Use of Prescription Stimulants & Analgesics” they have found that “for college administrators, parents, and educators, the question of how nonmedical use might actually affect college students’ grades is of great interest, especially in light of the current perception that nonmedical use of prescription stimulants will improve academic performance.”

NYU senior Amanda D. said that she has used Adderall before just for fun, but stated that she has “friends who often use Adderall to stay up all night and study for their tests and finish papers.” She continued by saying that she finds it “interesting that people use the same drug to stay up all night to focus and study as they do to recreationally have a good time with their friends.”

As college students continuously face the pressure of succeeding in college and are turning to Adderall for help, more education on the matter is necessary to educate individuals on its dangerous effects and to bring awareness to the issue.

Cheap Digs a Scarcity at Pricey School

By Nicholas Luckenbaugh

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When Jessica Golden told her parents three years ago that she wanted to transfer from the University of Maryland to New York University, they cringed. If their daughter transferred, they needed to slash high tuition costs. So under her parents’ instruction, Golden requested low-cost housing on her transfer application.

Golden, a senior at NYU’s College of Arts and Science, is dependent on the school’s low-cost housing, which saves her thousands of dollars on tuition costs. But low-cost housing is incorporated into the general housing lottery, making it available to all students, regardless of their financial situation. Students must battle their way through the lottery each spring, praying that their ideal low-cost room has not been snatched up already by students hungry for their own ideal housing assignment.

Libby Carlson, a sophomore at NYU’s Steinhardt School, worried that she had a terrible time slot in the housing lottery last year. But when she and her roommate were able to snag a low-cost studio at Water Street residence hall, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“We were both conscious [of the cost],” said Carlson. “Why would we make our parents spend more money for the same NYU experience? I feel bad making them pay.”

Faustyna Hariasz, a CAS freshman who lives in a low-cost room in Hayden, also depends on the cheaper housing to afford tuition.

“Every bit of money that I can save, I’ll take the opportunity,” said Hariasz.

The NYU housing office controls the placement of freshman and transfer students, giving them the opportunity to request low-cost housing. Only continuing upperclassmen use the lottery to secure housing.

Hariasz and her three suitemates are hoping for a room in 13th Street or Lafayette Street dorms next year. But NYU’s current policy is making her nervous.

“It’s not fair,” said Hariasz. “There should be a special low-cost housing lottery.”

Even though she has certain residence halls in mind, Hariasz doubts that she will secure her preferred locations. Certain low-cost dorms like 13th Street, Coral Towers and Lafayette, said Hariasz, get filled up immediately because of their desirable location. Hariasz feels that this leaves students that require low-cost housing at an automatic disadvantage even if they can secure a cheaper room through the lottery.

NYU currently offers low-cost housing to upperclassmen in 13th Street, 26th Street, Broome Street, Coral Towers, Lafayette Street, University Court and Water Street residence halls. Broome Street is only available to students participating in the Residential College program, which offers students in high academic standing the opportunity to live in a learning-centered environment. 13th Street and Coral Towers boast locations near NYU buildings, while many students praise Water Street and parts of Lafayette Street dorms for their spacious rooms. However, the 26th Street and University Court residence halls are criticized for the buildings’ conditions and distant locations from campus.

“If [26th Street residence hall] collapsed right now, I would not be surprised,” said Sutton Stewart, a Steinhardt junior living in a low-cost room in 26th Street. “I mean, I’d be upset because all my stuff is in there, but I would not be surprised.”

When Stewart entered the lottery last year, the only low-cost rooms that were available were four floors of 26th Street, most of University Court and a few single spaces in Lafayette Street.

“It suffices,” said Golden, commenting on the living conditions at 26th Street. Since transferring to NYU as a sophomore, Golden has lived in 26th Street every year. Golden would prefer a nicer dorm, but as long as she gets the low-cost housing that she needs, she will be happy enough.

Lynn Higinbotham, Director of Financial Aid, said that NYU tries to assist students with low incomes, noting that on-campus housing and its costs are often a concern of students who contact the financial aid office.

“This office accommodates students’ requests as best we can and adjusts award packages as eligibility allows,” said Higinbotham.

“Typically one’s loans are increased to meet the added housing costs,” said Higinbotham.

According to the NYU Department of Housing, NYU can also provide a student with more affordable accommodations after the lottery process is finished. If a student does not get a low-cost room through the lottery, the housing office is able to rectify this through post lottery changes.

But not all low-income students are aware of this post-lottery policy.

“I had no idea that you could switch into a low-cost room right after the lottery,” said Hariasz. “That makes me feel a little better.”

But Hariasz feels that even with the post-lottery policy, students pursuing low-cost housing are still at a disadvantage.

“The reality is that most if not all the unused low-cost spaces will be in 26th Street,” said Hariasz. “So that means low-cost students automatically get placed in the worst dorm because of their inability to pay the full housing cost.”

NYU should offer low-income students more options, said Hariasz, such as providing a set number of low-cost rooms in every residence hall or creating a special low-cost lottery. This would give more students pursuing a low-cost residence hall the chance to select their preferred dorm rather than having to resign themselves to their last choice, said Hariasz.

But determining an appropriate income range for low-cost housing is not so simple, said Higinbotham. Aside from yearly income, the financial aid office uses assets, family size and many other considerations to determine a student’s financial need. Because so much is incorporated into determining a student’s need, a need-based lottery is difficult to implement, leaving students seeking low-cost housing to contend with the standard lottery this spring.

NYU Dorms Don't Want to Let You In

By Mike Sobiloff

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NYU sophomore Joe Coronna was looking forward to his Friday night. He was meeting his cousin, Aaron Coronna, who was traveling into Manhattan from Long Island, to sleep over. They spent the night out in New York, and returned to the Greenwich Hotel hoping to go to bed. But when they arrived, the security guard wouldn’t let Aaron in—his driver’s license had just expired, and according to NYU policy, he would have to wait outside. The cousins had to pass the time walking the streets of New York until ten A.M. the next morning to sign in and finally get some sleep, when the shifts changed, and a more sympathetic guard was on duty.

Getting in and out of NYU dorms has always been somewhat of a job for their residents. An extensive sign-in policy for guests, that trumps those of many other colleges, and a rule that requires students to present an ID upon entrance to their dorms, no matter how long they have lived there, seems excessive at times. This year, NYU installed a new system that allows all students who live in dorms to swipe themselves into any NYU dorm, but for many students, all this security makes living in the dorms feel impersonal. These students, who consider the dorms their homes, would like to move throughout them as if they were just that.

The new swipe-in system was created to reduce the flow of traffic in and out of dorms and to make it easier on the guards. And in many ways it has. Students living in dorms can swipe right into any other dorm, without problem. But students not living in housing, and non-NYU visitors still have to endure a lengthy sign-in (and out) procedure.

An NYU security guard, who spoke under the condition of anonymity, said that he likes the new system because it means less work for him. He no longer has to look at everyone’s ID to let them pass into the dorm. He also said however, that he knows everyone in the dorm, and would feel completely comfortable regulating who went in and out, without checking their IDs.

Many students however do not feel that the change was sufficient. Maureen Feeney, a sophomore who lives in the Lafayette dorm says that often, maneuvering in and out can be tiresome. Feeney explained that it would be nice if the guards were allowed to wave in students that they know. She said, “It’s nice to know that the guards are there...but I’m not sure that they need to be so stringent.” Signing in guests, she says, is just another pesky problem, that makes her envious of friends at other schools who do not have to deal with similar difficulties.

Nick Kostopoulos, a sophomore at Palladium agreed. He said that both the door to his suite and the one to his bedroom require a security code to unlock. According to Kostopoulos, “To break into my room, you’d have to know two codes. It’s like Mission Impossible.” Kostopoulos says that he feels extremely safe at Palladium, and doesn’t understand what all the security is for. He also admits however, that he is often able to slip past guards who aren’t paying attention, and walk right in.

Palladium and Lafayette are two of the largest dorms at NYU, each housing around 1000 people. This, Coronna says is why he was so outraged. The Greenwich Hotel has 320 residents, and Coronna says that as a result, the guards knew him well, and even liked him. He said, “I couldn’t understand why the guard wouldn’t let us in. He knows I live there, and he knows that I wouldn’t screw around.”

Some students feel that the system is too inhibiting and cold. As freshman Joe Shaftic explained, “I don’t see why I can’t just bring a guest in if I want to. That person is with me, and that’s where I live.”

This painstaking attention to security is not a factor at all colleges. Nicole D’Andrea, a sophomore at the College of New Jersey, just outside of Trenton, has had an entirely different experience. She says that getting in and out of dorms at TCNJ is never a problem. There is no guard on duty, just a student sitting behind a desk, and consequently, she and her friends are able to move freely through the dorm. This is despite the fact that she considers Trenton to be a “pretty dangerous” area.

After some thought, Coronna said, “After all, the purpose of having guards is to prevent outsiders from entering the building. If the guard knows full well I live there, shouldn’t he or she be able to let me, and anyone with me, in?”

At the end of the day, NYU has security guards to keep the students safe. But really, Joe Coronna probably would have been safer inside of the dorm, than out on the streets.