Op-Eds

United States should stand its ground on GMOs

Arguably, the most underreported story in the media these days is the ongoing negotiations over the proposed United States-European Union Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). This massive free trade deal would increase U.S. and EU gross domestic product (GDP) by about 0.4% and 0.5% a year—a $100 billion annual windfall for the United States, […]

War-weary America doesn’t deserve another fight

This past Wednesday, President Obama sent a draft joint resolution to Congress. For the first time in almost 13 years, Congress will have the ability to approve an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). This AUMF will allow President Obama to continue his campaign against the Islamic State (IS), also known as ISIL and […]

Stiff sanctions should be our strategy with Iran

Over the last few weeks, dozens of UR students have contacted the office of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to urge her to co-sponsor the bipartisan “Nuclear Weapons-Free Iran Act of 2015.” Similarly, next month, a group of five UR students will travel to the AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. alongside 2,400 students from 490 campuses […]

(Don’t) do it for the Vine: Josh Peck and Rape Culture

Last week, the UR Campus Activities Board announced that Josh Peck will be coming at the end of February as a guest speaker. Peck is famous for many things, be it his role as the nerdy step brother on “Drake and Josh,” to having over 7.2 million followers on Vine, a six-second video sharing social […]

The 2015 budget: A mixed bag

President Obama unveiled his latest budget proposal Monday, announcing a long list of programs and policies he’d like to see make it through the Republican- dominated Congress. The budget calls for massive federal spending in 2016, but with an ever-growing federal debt, there is a low likelihood that most of the president’s proposals will be […]

The State of the Union: The Democrats’ response

In the opening remarks of his State of the Union Address, President Obama proudly declared, “America, for all that we have endured; for all of the grit and hard work required to come back; for all of the tasks that lie ahead, know this: the shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of the […]

The State of the Union: The Republican rebuttal

We are lucky to live in a day and age where we are able to see and listen to our president more than ever before. On Jan. 20, President Obama delivered his sixth State of the Union Address, outlining his goals for his final two years in office. Despite his noble intentions, his vision has […]

Autumn or bust: the story behind Earth’s superior season

You’ve probably had a lot of fresh experience comparing seasons, given that this is Rochester and we’ve had all of them these past few weeks. We’re in an area that knows pretty much the entire repertoire of weather available on Earth, and one that loves to show its range. Hot as hell, cold as Viking […]

Latino summit offers space to reflect, connect

It’s the fall of my senior year, which means between classes and trips to Starbucks, a bigger question is always on my mind: Where will I be when I grow up? I’ve put on my suit, tweaked my resume, and even started networking with graduate schools and other programs. But among all of my anxiety […]

Food on campus: the delicious sequel

The best satisfaction after a long and hard day of classes, work, or sleeping through these things is a rich, nutritious meal. As a River Campus resident, I often find myself at Douglass or Danforth to indulge my unquenchable appetite. Recently, I have found these locales to provide an improved variety of nourishment. As frequent […]