The Week In Brief

As the Yale Daily News reported, Saybrook Dean Paul McKinley and Deputy Dean of Yale College Joseph Gordon visited Sadowski at a hospice in his hometown of Jacksonville, Fla. to award him his diploma after verifying that he had met the requirements for graduation. Sadowski had wanted to remain at school despite his condition as long as he was able.

"Szymon should be remembered for his incredible strength and sharp wit, as well as his commitment to people close to him," Sadowski's roommate Kevin Chen, SY '00 told the Daily. "To the end, Szymon was selfless, always putting others first."

Peter Gulliver, SY '01, recalled that during Gulliver's freshman year, Sadowski had a crush on the girl living upstairs from Gulliver, and that he would bring her cookies and soda every night. "He seemed exceptionally nice," Gulliver said.

Sadowski certainly left his mark on Yale, helping found the Polish Club and the Pantheon Investment Group, as well as working as a computing assistant.

"For Saybrook, Szymon's death is a profound loss; he was part of many people's lives, and he gave selflessly to others," McKinley and Saybrook Master Mary Miller wrote in an e-mail to Saybrook students.

McKinley held a gathering in his house on Thurs., Apr. 13 for students to remember and mourn Sadowski. "Now is the time to remind ourselves of how lucky we are to be part of this community," he wrote to his students.

—Kushal Dave

Students live in offices to support living wages

Last week, students at Wesleyan University occupied the college's admissions building. Within 33 hours, Wesleyan President Douglas Bennet agreed to meet most of the students' demands on behalf of janitors who earned less than $8 an hour and received no benefits. The occupiers, primarily members of the United Student Labor Action Coalition (USLAC), procured a salary of $9.40 an hour for the janitors, as well as a full benefits package. "We really underestimated how powerful the admissions building is," Ari Yampolsky '00, a USLAC member, said.

A living wage is considered a rate of pay that can keep a family of four above the federal poverty line: $8 an hour. Yale's unionized employees start at $10.05 an hour, but the non-unionized employees who work for Yale's subcontractor, Fusco, start at $8.50 an hour and have little job security. For now, many of Yale's student activists are occupied with Students Against Sweatshops' campaign, though it may pave the way for other social-justice actions. "The living-wage movement at Yale is going to heat up next year," Joey Fishkin, BR '00, an SAS member, said. "Students are expecting the Local 35 contract fight to be long and bitter, based on experience. Although, the Administration might surprise us."

—Carl Bialik

Levin defends Yale's sweatshop policy

Levin admitted that the FLA needs reform. But he said the University stands by the FLA because the organization—despite its imperfections—will ultimately lead to "constructive change" in the apparel industry. Levin called the WRC a "gadfly" organization and questioned whether companies would accept it. "Public outcry [against unfair and unjust labor practices] is important," he said. "But to effect change, public embarrassment is not enough. I think the FLA has a better chance to get companies to change [because it presents them with options]."

Levin opened the forum by stating his hope that it would help to improve communication between students and the Administration. But it seemed that Students Against Sweatshops and the Administration remained as far apart as ever. Most students present still claimed not to be convinced by Levin's defense of why Yale did not join the WRC.

—Jane Gao

Students aim to Take Back the Night

Young explained that the event is motivated by the sense that people cannot talk openly about sex-related assault, an attitude she feels abounds both at Yale and across the nation. Speakers addressed the medical and cross-cultural issues surrounding the treatment of sexual violence and abuse.

She defended the event against accusations of anti-male sentiment. "Statistically, violence happens to women," she said. "Therefore, the language surrounding the event is primarily gynocentric."

Young said organizers did their best to make men feel welcome. "We got very little response from the male part of Yale," she said. "Men are not a part of the problem so much as they can be part of the solution."

—Kushal Dave

Asian-Americans use April to reflect

On Thurs., Apr. 13, internationally acclaimed violinist Midori discussed her life as a musician and her Asian-American identity at a Berkeley Master's Tea. On Fri., Mar. 31, menswear designer Sandy Dalal, the youngest designer ever to win the prestigious Perry Ellis Award for men's fashion, spoke at a Davenport Master's Tea.

An array of student-oriented events is also exploring the question of Asian-American identity. On Fri., Apr. 14, the Afro-American Cultural Center will host "Rice," a pan-Asian dinner open to all members of the Yale community. A panel discuss-ing the dimensions of hate crimes in light of the alleged Sun., Sept. 19 assault on an Asian-American Yale student will finish off the forum sometime at the end of the month.

"The theme of our month is `The new Asian-American,'" APA Co-chair San-geetha Ramaswamy, BK '01, said. "By choosing speakers in unconventional fields, and by holding discussion panels on politically controversial topics, our goal was to celebrate and question our identity as Asian-Americans."

—Julia Paolitto

CAYTE PUSHKAREVA/YH Jackie Campbell, right, here conversing with Nick Brown, SY '03, left was one of the featured speakers for Take Back the Night's week-long series of events.

CR/D/F

YALE INDEX
1. Candidates for YCC President	9
2. Candidates who proclaim YCC experience in their statements	2
3. Candidates whose statements are utter nonsense	2
4. Candidates whose statements mention sweatshops	1
5. Days SAS has been on Beinecke	13
6. Candidates whose statements mention changing the dining halls	3
7. Candidates whose statements call for more bus transportation of some form	3
8. Candidates whose statements claim they will fix Yale TV	3
9. Candidates with YCC experience who claim they will fix Yale TV	2
10. Years we've had Yale TV	2
11. Number of hours that Yale TV's clock is behind	1
12. Candidates who think YCC does not communicate enough with students	6
13. Candidates who mention concerts and dances	3
14. Average number of non-dance, non-concert interactions students have with YCC	0
15. Odds of campaign promises of candidates coming to naught	1:100
16. Finishers in the Julia Rusinek Memorial Run on Sun., Apr. 9	245
17. Proceeds of the run, going to LEAP, in dollars	6,347
18. Odds this run had a more substantive impact than YCC elections	1:100

—Compiled by Kushal Dave

Sources: 1) Litter; 2,4,6,7,8,9,12,13) Typing "vote" in Pantheon like the message told me to; 3) Literacy; 5) Gawking; 10) Blue screen; 11) My nifty calculator watch; 14, 15, 18) Reality; 16, 17) Andrew Krause, JE '00

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