Strip down and buckle up
See article, page 13.
Offerman brings music, mahogany and manliness to Events Center stage for Family Weekend
See interview, page 16.
PIPE DREAM Tuesday,October October14, 7, 2014 Tuesday, 2014 || Binghamton BinghamtonUniversity University || www.bupipedream.com www.bupipedream.com || Vol. Vol.LXXXVI, LXXXVI,Issue Issue911
Gov. announces SUNY-wide protocol Sexual assault policy to include uniform definition of consent, Victims' Bill of Rights Nicolas Vega It is past the News Editor Forcible Sexual Assaults on SUNY Campuses point where 2010-2013 The State University of New York will soon have uniform protocol to combat sexual we are talking Stony Brook assaults on all 64 campuses. 7 13 17 12 49 University about one or The changes, which were announced by Gov. Andrew University 8 7 10 9 34 Cuomo at a press conference two incidents, at Albany in Manhattan on Oct. 2, will include a system-wide definition an anecdotal of consent as well as a Sexual University 6 3 6 7 22 Assault Victims’ Bill of Rights at Geneseo 2010 that will be provided to students reaction. It is an in the event of an attack and will 2011 University inform them of their rights. 2 5 5 9 21 at Buffalo epidemic. And it The governor said that his 2012 decree was sparked by a spike in sexual assaults on college 2013 is spreading Binghamton campuses in the past few years. 5 6 2 2 15 “It is past the point where we are talking about one or two incidents, an anecdotal reaction,” Cuomo said. “It is an epidemic. And it is spreading.” Cuomo explained that it is time for sexual assaults to cease being treated as internal matters at universities. He said that schools are incentivized to keep reports of sexual assaults quiet because they can bring bad publicity. “I understand the tendency and I understand the motivation
University
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—Andrew Cuomo New York Governor
Sources: Annual University Security Reports
John Linitz/Design Assistant
to handle it as an internal matter,” Cuomo said. “But rape is a crime. And a campus cannot define what is a crime as something less than a crime, and can’t be imposing and adjudicating what should be adjudicated as a crime.” He also stressed the
importance of having a uniform definition of consent. “I understand the individuality of the 64 institutions in SUNY, but some things should be uniform,” Cuomo said. “A woman’s consent in Oswego should be a woman’s consent in Buffalo.”
Cayuga to close in Fall 2015
From 2010 to 2013, Binghamton University saw 15 forcible sexual assaults on its campus, with a high of six occurring in 2011 and two occurring last year. However, Dean of Students April Thompson said that the University has been
taking measures to improve safety. “Last year, when the Violence Against Women act was updated, there were major changes that impacted college and university campuses around title IX,” Thompson said. “We took a very
close look at our policies and the new acts and new language, as well as some recent decisions out of the University of Montana where they had been investigated by the office of civil rights.”
See SUNY Page 6
Peers to determine sanctions
Student Conduct Board to try minor offenses room damage violations, which would not result in prohibition, suspension or expulsion from campus. Students living in on-campus In the past, students would residential communities now receive a charge letter when have a second option to turn they had been accused of a levelto when facing punishment for one infraction and would be certain conduct violations. called to meet with a member This past summer, Residential of residential staff. After initial Life created a one-year pilot inquiry, students would be asked program for the Student to sign an agreement accepting Conduct Board to address responsibility for the accusation. level-one infractions in dorms. These include alcohol, drug or See SCB Page 6
Haley Silverstein Contributing Writer
[BU students] hold each other to a pretty high standard — April Thompson Dean of students
Classic games found in dig
Duncan McInnes/Staff Photographer
College-in-the-Woods’ Cayuga Hall will be closed for the 2015-2016 academic year while undergoing upgrades. The building has remained virtually untouched since opening in 1969.
Building first in plans to renovate all of CIW Chloe Rehfield
Contributing Writer Beginning this summer, Cayuga Hall will be the first building in College-in-theWoods to undergo major repairs, and will be closed for the 2015-2016 academic year. According to Paola Mignone, the associate director of business affairs for Residential Life, the residential halls in CIW have remained almost completely unaltered since they first opened in 1969. Mignone said that practical
renovations will include mechanical, plumbing and electrical repairs, which would make the buildings run more efficiently. Aesthetic renovations are planned, and include door replacements, new flooring and freshlypainted walls. Lev Pravda, a sophomore majoring in political science, is a first-time Cayuga resident and said he noticed large differences, including unkempt bathrooms, between CIW and
See CIW Page 4
I still want to live in CIW but it's not the same; [Cayuga] is my home — Joele Rivera BU freshman
Andrew Reinhard talks modern archaeology Eric Timlin
Contributing Writer In 1982, Atari, then the biggest video game company in the world, secured the exclusive rights to design and sell a game based on the Steven Spielberg film “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” But the commercial failure of the game — widely considered to be one of the worst ever made — nearly caused the company to go bankrupt and led to unsold copies being buried in a landfill. On Friday, Andrew Reinhard, the director of Publications at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, gave a talk
See E.T. Page 4
Klara Rusinko/Contributing Photographer
Andrew Reinhard, the director of Publications at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, gives a talk entitled “Punk Archaeology and the Atari Burial Ground.” On Friday, he spoke about his role in the excavation of the landfill of unsold games, as well as about his own archeological experiences.
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www.bupipedream.com | October 14, 2014
Facilities expand to accomodate new students Student Wing, UDC among buildings to undergo renovations and technological upgrades Chloe Rehfield
Contributing Writer
With the prospect of 20,000 students at Binghamton University by 2020, additional classrooms must be constructed to fill the increased demand. In fall 2011, officials began a project to construct and renovate over two dozen new classrooms in Old Dickinson, the University Downtown Center, Student Wing and Glenn G. Bartle Library as well as to bring new technologies to the classrooms. The project is funded by a $140 million grant from the NYSUNY 2020 Challenge Grant Program, a state initiative to strengthen academic development for SUNY schools. Upgrades include the
It takes time; these projects don't happen overnight —Don Nieman BU Provost
Learning Studio, a classroom in the Library with special walls that allow students and teachers to write and erase on them. The Learning Studio also has movable chairs, couches and tables to create a more interactive learning environment. According to Donald Nieman, executive vice president for Academic Affairs and Provost, the University also encouraged the development of graduate programs. “Our major focus is on professionally-oriented masters,” Nieman said. “Graduate students still need classrooms, so the classroom issue is an important one.” Since 2011, 10 classrooms — about 463 more seats — have been added to the Downtown Center and there are plans to add 12 more by next fall. Student Wing construction is planned to start January 2015, with individual floors being completed over the next year and a half. By 2016, the University administration plans to have 158 more classrooms and approximately 1,500 more seats than were available in 2011. Student services that were previously located in the Student Wing, such as Financial Aid and the Registrar, have moved into renovated areas of Old Dickinson and Admissions
Corey Futterman/Design Assistant
has transferred to the renovated Admissions Center. According to Nieman, figuring out where to put classrooms while the 20 in Student Wing are closed was the most difficult task. “It’s kind of like a Rubik’s cube: You move this tile and then you move that tile,” Nieman said. “It takes time;
these projects don’t happen overnight.” In addition to seven new classrooms being added to the Library Tower, the length of an academic day will be extended so that the amount of classes offered each semester is not affected by the lack of space. To ensure that students’ schedules don’t conflict
because of the changes, core classes, or non-major specific classes will run until 4:30 p.m. instead of 2:10 p.m. These classes that were previously taught in the Student Wing will be held in the Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center and renovated buildings in Old Dickinson. Ben Dobkin, a sophomore
majoring in industrial systems engineering, said he isn’t looking forward to the shortterm effects of the construction plans. “I think this will negatively affect my schedule because some of my classes may only be offered early in the morning,” Dobkin said. “If I must wake up early, I’d like to finish early.”
UDiversity goes digital CCE incentivizes local voting
Campaign aims to highlight campus diversity
Communities compete to register voters
Zachary Wingate
Michelle Kraidman
Contributing Writer
UDiversity, a campaign aiming to highlight the diversity of students, faculty and staff, is branching out into social media to showcase the many faces of Binghamton University. Tanyah Barnes, diversity fellow of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI), said that the campaign is meant to encourage inclusivity and kick-start a dialogue about diversity around campus. The program was designed by the ODEI and students working through President Harvey Stenger’s Road Map to Success. UDiversity began as a poster campaign but recently went digital. Students and faculty can now use the #UDiversity hashtag in social media posts to highlight experiences with diversity on campus. “The big goal is to show people that there is a little bit more diversity than you might think,” said Alexandra Moehring, a member of the Road Map team and a junior majoring in English. One component of the UDiversity campaign puts a spotlight on individual students, faculty and staff who feel they embody or add to the school’s diversity. By submitting profiles and information through B-Line, students can be featured on
the ODEI’s website and on posters that will be displayed around campus. “It’s not to push an agenda or anything, just to have people more aware and gain a better understanding [of diversity],” Moehring said. Going beyond the standard categories of race, religion and sexual orientation, Moehring said that UDiversity coordinators aim to create a spotlight for people to express any unique aspects of themselves. “One of the submissions we’ve gotten is a girl has lived in 28 countries in her life so far,” Moehring said. The UDiversity campaign is also hosting a two-day workshop in early November focused on fostering inclusive and tolerant classroom environments. Meanwhile, the ODEI plans to reach out to classrooms to encourage more open discussions and projects about diversity, collaborate with undergraduate admissions with UDiversity videos and host a selfie contest over homecoming weekend. “You can do an ‘I Am University’ selfie and explain how you add to the diversity of Binghamton,” Barnes said. “Then we’re going to pick a few of them and be giving out prizes while sharing them.” Barnes said she hopes the campaign will help people connect to and be proud of the diversity and inclusivity on
campus. “I want people to own it,” Barnes said. “To get more students, more faculty, more staff to own how they contribute to that diversity on campus.”
It's not to push an agenda or anything, just to have people more aware and gain a better understanding [of diversity] — Alexandera Moehring BU junior
Contributing Writer
With less than 1 percent of Binghamton University students voting from campus last year, canvassers are trying to use financial incentive to get residents to the polls. The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) held its second campus-wide voter registration contest from Oct. 2 to Oct. 10. Residential communities competed to see who could register the most voters — including absentee ballots — with the top two communities splitting a prize of $2,500 for their treasuries. According to Nicholas Doran, the University’s Andrew Goodman Foundation’s “Vote Everywhere” ambassador and a sophomore majoring in political science, the official results will not be announced until they are certified by the Broome County Board of Elections within the week. However, according to Jonathan Krasno, a political science professor, the leader was College-in-the-Woods. The competition was spearheaded by Krasno, who got the idea from a student and suggested it to the CCE. He said that the competition was in response to a low student voting turnout and that engaging the campus in annual elections would give students political power. The money was contributed by the Vice President of Student Affairs office, the CCE and Residential Life. “In Binghamton politics,
students aren’t really regarded as anything at all,” Krasno said. “Showing up in elections would be a massive thing. It would make politicians come to campus. It would make the city of Vestal and Binghamton pay much more attention to the needs of campus.” However, Krasno said that getting students involved was easier said than done. “The question was, what do you do to get them to participate in the elections if they’re not really that interested?” Krasno said. According to Krasno, RAs were put in charge of encouraging their communities to vote, but they had mixed responses when asked to participate in the contest. “I’ve heard that a lot of RAs have said that their plates are full and there’s no way they’re going to add another duty to what they’re doing,” Krasno said. “Other RAs who are more interested in politics jumped at the chance.” Allison Alden, director of the CCE, said she anticipated that holding another voting competition would lead to results similar to those from the 2012 competition, which defied national norms. “In 2008 with the Obama candidacy there was a huge number of young people who registered to vote, and voted,” Alden said. “It dipped in 2012. Our campus actually increased by 30 percent, and that was the year that we started the competition.” Andrew Henry, voting advocacy organization Turbovote’s coordinator for the University and a senior majoring in philosophy,
...what do you do to get [students] to participate in elections...? — Jonathan Krasno BU professor
politics and law, said that the competition was geared toward oncampus students. However, he said the CCE is reaching out to the offcampus community as well. “Off-campus students are notoriously difficult to reach, because they don’t have a collective population center,” Henry said. “We’re getting the word out as best as we can with CCE emails, and things like that, because they’re mostly juniors and seniors we hope that the off-campus community have perhaps already registered to vote.” Doran has worked with the CCE on political engagement and said he wants to make voting more accessible to students. “We’re hopefully gonna have debates with local senate races, maybe county legislators,” Doran said. “Then we’re going to have an election day celebration. There’s gonna be food and music. We want it to be fun.”
PAGE III Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Pipe Line
Painting The Town Orange
LOCAL NEWS Man gets 40 years for upstate NY killing, attack An upstate New York man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for an attack that left a 22-year-old man dead and his six months pregnant girlfriend hospitalized with serious injuries. Local media outlets report 22-year-old Julian Talamantez IV of Binghamton was sentenced Friday in Broome County Court, where he pleaded guilty in August to first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. Talamantez and 26-year-old Nigel Saunders were accused of breaking into a Binghamton home and beating, stabbing and setting fire to the victims, who were left for dead. Jordan Dordell was killed and his 19-year-old fiancee injured. Saunders is awaiting trial on the same charges.
STATE NEWS Event focuses on N.Y.’s new medical marijuana law New York state lawmakers and advocates of medical marijuana gathered in New York City on Sunday to discuss the implementation of a new state law authorizing marijuana as a treatment for certain medical conditions. State lawmakers voted this year to make New York the 23rd state to authorize pot for patients with conditions including AIDS, cancer and epilepsy. But the program isn’t likely to be up and running before 2016 as regulators work out the details. Drug suppliers and businesses that provide ventilation, lighting, security or other services related to cultivation attended this weekend’s Marijuana Regulatory Summit to learn about the new law, said Sen. Diane Savino, a Staten Island Democrat. The law will not permit users to smoke the drug. It could be administered through a vaporizer or in an oil base. Marijuana could be prescribed for 10 diseases. It requires physicians to register and get a few hours of training to prescribe the drug for patients with listed conditions, while establishing a new felony for doctors who knowingly give it to others. Patients are prohibited from sharing. Upstate New York utility exploring using drones An upstate New York-based utility is exploring the use of drones to help inspect utility structures and find damaged wires and poles. Central Hudson Gas & Electric says drones could help find downed poles or wires, especially in remote locations. The company said in a release that the drones have the potential to substantially reduce costs and delays. The utility is using a DJI Phantom 2 drone as part of its initiative, which is in the research-and-development phase. The company says it plans to invest more in the program.
NATIONAL UNIVERSITY NEWS University suspends two students over sex video New Jersey’s Rowan University has suspended two students for posting a sex video online. The suspension was reported on Wednesday by the Courier-Post. The university says one male filmed sex between the other and a female student last month, and that the men later put the video on two porn websites. A university spokesman says the students were all adults and the sexual activity was consensual, but that the woman did not know it was being recorded or posted. No criminal charges have been filed, but the two men were charged with violating college rules. They have also resigned from the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, its national office having disciplined the Rowan chapter. The university has not released the names of the students or the length of the suspensions.
Corrections Pipe Dream strives for accuracy in all we publish. We recognize that mistakes will sometimes occur, but we treat errors very seriously. If you see a mistake in the paper, please contact Editor-in-Chief Rachel Bluth at editor@ bupipedream.com. stabilizing:bacon
Michael Contegni/Staff Photographer
Shriman Balasubramanian, a junior majoring in biology, paints pumpkins during the annual Autumn Bowl, for Newing residents’ families. Autumn Bowl took place on Newing’s Co-Rec field on Saturday, Oct. 11.
Police Watch A lighter take on campus crime Aaron Berkowitz | Police Correspondent
Such A Freshman FRIDAY, OCT. 10, 1:13 a.m. — Officers responded to Oneida Hall in College-in-the-Woods due to reports of an intoxicated female running through the hallways, Reilly said. The suspect, an 18-year-old female, was standing near the fourth floor elevators when the officers arrived. The suspect admitted to drinking and vomited a few times. While there, officers spoke with the RA staff, who said that there was a party occurring in one of the rooms around the time that they called. When the officers arrived, the party seemed to be over. The suspect was transported to Binghamton General Hospital for medical evaluation. That’s What Pockets Are For THURSDAY, OCT. 9, 2:49 p.m. — Officers were alerted after an 18-year-old female reported a suspected larceny in the Marketplace, Reilly said. The victim was eating in the Marketplace earlier in the day when she placed her phone on top of a duffel bag. The victim forgot about the phone and took her duffel bag when she left. The victim realized that she did not have her phone and returned to the Marketplace. The victim could not find her phone near where she was sitting. The case is still under investigation.
“I don’t want to be labeled ‘gay.’ I want to be labeled ‘a human who loves humans.’” Raven-Symoné on Oprah
Next-Gen Asshole THURSDAY, OCT. 9, 2:13 p.m. — A 20-year-old male resident of Hillside Community’s Fillmore Hall was the victim of a burglary, said Investigator Patrick Reilly of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. Sometime earlier in the day, the victim’s PlayStation 4, along with two controllers and a game, were reportedly stolen from his suite. Officers interviewed the suitemates, but none of them saw or heard anything. The cost of the items was reportedly around $700. The case is still under investigation. What Seems To Be the Officer, Problem? SUNDAY, OCT. 12, 3:59 a.m. — Officers on patrol noticed a vehicle on West Drive fail to signal while it changed lanes and turned onto Connector Road, Reilly said. The officers performed a traffic stop and while talking to the 21-year-old male driver, they noticed the odor of alcohol coming from the car. The officers asked the suspect to exit the vehicle and noticed that he had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. The suspect was asked if he drank, and he said no. The officers performed a field sobriety test, which the suspect failed. The suspect then admitted to smoking marijuana as well as drinking earlier in the night. The suspect was arrested and charged with DWAI, failure to keep right and failure to signal when changing lanes.
This Day in History Oct. 14, 1908 The Chicago Cubs defeat the Detroit Tigers, 2-0, clinching the World Series. It would be their last one to date. people having papers to write :destabilizing
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In dig, prof. finds Atari treasure E.T. continued from Page 1 entitled “Punk Archaeology and the Atari Burial Ground� about his role in the excavation of the landfill of unsold games, as well as about his own archeological experiences. In April, he was invited to help excavate the site at Alamogordo, New Mexico, where at least 14 full trucks of game cartridges, totaling hundreds of thousands of games, were dumped. Reinhard worked on a volunteer basis with Fuel Industries, a Canadian entertainment company, that was filming a documentary about the history of the game. “We were there for a period of three days,� Reinhard said, “which is nowhere nearly long enough to do a proper excavation, so we turned it into a salvage.� At the talk hosted by the Binghamton University anthropology department, Reinhard said that while he and his peers found many E.T. games, they also discovered dozens of game titles that he remembered from his childhood. “It was incredibly interesting and special to me to be able to go down and see these again for the first time in over 30 years,� Reinhard said. According to Reinhard, this dig was part of a new field of study called “Punk Archaeology,� which is an alternative form of archaeological study that investigates more recent history. “We embrace the do-it-yourself aesthetic of punk and apply it to archaeological science so that we can do things on a volunteer
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basis, do things cheaply or on the free, work with a volunteer core and engage the public,� Reinhard said. Originally, Reinhard said that he had initially studied fourthand fifth-century BCE Greece, but had become more interested in contemporary pursuits. “I started off as kind of a hardcore academic classical archaeologist and over time I started to see there were other kinds of archaeology for other kinds of material,� Reinhard said. “So it was good to give them some love.� He said that much of his research involved “punk� pursuits, like squatter homes and abandoned music venues, and this project in New Mexico was new to him. “This really turned it on its head,� said Dan Roman, a senior majoring in English. “We were actually digging up real games out there in the desert so it was the first excavation of its kind.� He said that Reinhard gave him a new perspective of the field. “Archaeology is a stilldeveloping field,� Roman said. “It can be very modern, even though we associate it with mostly ancient things.� Sarah Kindschuh, a graduate student in the anthropology department and a doctoral candidate, said it was nice to see contemporary archaeology. “This one seemed to be a little more modern than what they usually do,� Kindschuh said. “You don’t see a lot of presentations from people who are doing pretty current topics like video gaming.�
www.bupipedream.com | October 14, 2014
CIW to undergo interior revamp CIW continued from Page 1 other residential communities on the University’s campus. “There’s a huge disparity between the amenities in other dorms and what we have here,� Pravda said. “You could tell that the dorm is a little dated.� After Cayuga, a different building will be closed each year for renovations until all have been upgraded. Although there will be one less dorm for CIW residents to choose, Mignone said no students will be required to move out of the residential community due to lack of space. “Students who sign up during Priority 7 will be guaranteed to live in CIW next year,� Mignone wrote. “Priority 7 is to fill a different suite or corridor-style double room in the same community as the group leader. If your group signs up in Priority 7, you are guaranteed to be able to return to CIW. We are confident that students who currently live in CIW who want to live with other CIW residents will have no problem remaining in CIW.� According to Mignone, other living communities will not be affected by the renovation. “We currently have many vacancies throughout campus and our projections predict that other CIW halls (as well as other residential areas) will be able to absorb the
decrease in capacity caused by closing Cayuga for one year,� Mignone wrote. Sahar Pakravan, a freshman majoring in biochemistry and a resident of Cayuga, said she’s nervous that her housing options will be limited next year. “Our closest friendships are in this building so now that we’re going to have to separate based on our preferences,� Pakravan said. “It’s a little sad.� Joele Rivera, a freshman majoring in engineering, said he is disappointed that he has to move out Cayuga. “I love it,� Rivera said. “It’s so social, and I’m so close with my floor. I still want to live in CIW but it’s not the same; this is my home.�
There's a huge disparity [between] other dorms and what we have here — Lev Pravda BU Sophomore
October 14, 2014 | www.bupipedream.com
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Fracking protest calls for action from Cuomo NYPIRG members throw pies, distribute informational literature on the Spine
Pelle Waldron
Pipe Dream News The Spine became the stage for an environmental discussion when NYPIRG hosted an event educating students on the potential dangers of fracking. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, involves pumping chemically treated water into shale rock formations, which hold natural gas reserves that can be used as fuel. In the U.S. the process is legal on a local and state basis, and it is allowed in Pennsylvania but not currently in New York. Citizens and environmental groups like the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) have many concerns surrounding the process and worry that it may pollute groundwater and cause small ground tremors. NYPIRG has an office on the Binghamton University campus and the student president of the organization said that he thought this was a good opportunity to educate the student body. “Fracking of natural gas is going to have an effect on people,” said Eli Weissman, a junior double-majoring in history and philosophy, politics and law. “We focus on educating students and students here might have the power to effect policy one day.” NYPIRG members handed out anti-fracking flyers with facts about the procedure and asked students on the Spine to call Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office and voice their concerns about fracking in the Binghamton area and New
Fracking of natural gas is going to have an effect on people. — Eli Weissman BU Junior
Jonathan Ortiz/Contributing Photographer
Members of the New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) throw pies at Robert Thomaris, a senior majoring in political science, who is dressed as a fracking executive. NYPIRG members gathered along the Spine on Friday, asking students to place calls to Gov. Cuomo’s office to express their disapproval of fracking.
York state. A member of the E-Board was also dressed in a suit to represent a fracking executive and students were allowed to throw pies at him after calling the governor, which according to Sam Clark — an intern with NYPIRG — over 50 people did. Clark, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law,
said he was confident the event educated students about fracking. “We found a way to make it a sort of non-threatening entry into the topic,” Clark said. “A lot of people are from here so it just gives them a little bit of local perspective, that it can pose a danger to this community.” Even though he received positive feedback, Clark added that
the turnout was not as big as his organization would have liked. “We didn’t have many signs up; it wasn’t super visible,” Clark said. “It wasn’t a huge event but I would say it was definitely successful.” Justin Vega, a senior majoring in psychology, said that he thought events like this were helpful in keeping students up to date on
current events and local issues. “When you’re at college you kind of lose an understanding of everything else around you,” Vega said. “You’re kind of in a bubble and especially for people who live off campus, just to let them know this is what’s happening, to spread awareness and just inform people.”
According to Weissman, NYPIRG hopes to host more events this semester to inform students about important issues facing the area. “We’re just trying to raise awareness of what fracking is,” Weissman said. “A lot of people aren’t familiar with the science behind it or the effects of it.”
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THE NEW SCHOOL Equal Opportunity Institution Photo: Martin Seck
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www.bupipedream.com | October 14, 2014
Students to staff conduct board SCB continued from Page 1 Although most level-one infractions would not come with a punishment and the agreements were confidential, students had the option to appeal their accusation directly to Dean of Students April Thompson. If the student could not prove his or her innocence to Thompson, then the University would still hold the student responsible. “Students were charged before they ever had the opportunity to talk with somebody,” said Susan Briggs, assistant director of the Student Conduct Board. “That determination was made just on the basis of reading an incident report. Whereas now a student isn’t charged until they’ve had a face-to-face contact with someone.” Under the new program, students have the option to respond to such reports and go before the Student Conduct Board instead of signing the agreement. “There is a lot of choice involved for a student,” said Amy Pollock Drake, the assistant director of housing. “It is something that we
think is an empowering piece for the students that they get to have another option.” To form the Student Conduct Board, returning students living on campus for the fall semester were invited to apply, with 20 being selected. Training sessions were held over the summer, where they reviewed student conduct policy, examined case studies, confidentiality rules and reviewed past incident reports. According to Siaki TettehNartey, a student on the Conduct Board and a sophomore majoring in computer engineering, members worked hard in order to improve the hearings and to make students feel as comfortable as possible. “It’s a learning process,” she explained. “It’s not just finding out what happened but also helping the students themselves learn from the experience.” Pollock Drake primarily directs the program, but graduate students Matthew Walsh and Rashad Williams chair the hearings. The student board members vote and impose sanctions against students or
refer them to educational sessions that aim to prevent students from becoming repeat offenders. Students can still appeal the decisions made by the Student Conduct Board to Thompson, although she has not received any as of yet. At the end of the semester, the Office of Student Conduct and Residential Life will assess the success of the pilot program based on speed of the process, repeat offenses and student response. If the feedback is favorable, the board will expand to address to all level-one cases at the University, even those outside residential areas. “Any time we can get students more engaged in their communities, our communities are better for it,” Thompson said. According to Thompson, this program is unique to BU. “You’re not going to see a whole lot of schools putting this kind of real trust in the maturity of students,” Thompson said. “But Binghamton students can handle it. They do hold each other to a pretty high standard.”
SUNY fights sexual assault SUNY continued from Page 1 According to Thompson, the University put together a small committee in the fall of 2013 to see how it needed to change its responses to sexual assault accusations. As a result, Thompson says there is now more transparency. “Whether you’re the student who brought us the report or the student who was accused of something, everyone has a right to know what the process will be,” Thompson said. Thompson said that, just this month, 400 members of BU’s staff were trained on responding to reports of sexual assault. BU President Harvey Stenger added that the University has been focused on fighting sexual
assault for some time now. “What we’ve been working on the last three years already exceeds [Gov. Cuomo’s] expectations,” he said. Stenger added that finding a solution to this problem must be a top priority. “We’ve got to act very swiftly and make sure that we are as proactive as possible to make sure that we stop something that is as serious as [sexual assault],” Stenger said. However, he emphasized that the responsibility does not fall solely on the shoulders of the University, and that the governor’s announcement helped raise awareness of sexual assault. “I’m hoping we can use this as an opportunity to make sure
everyone is aware of it,” Stenger said. “I want everybody to say that this is not going to happen at Binghamton University. We’re not going to stand by idly. If we see somebody in trouble or someone who is going to become a victim of [sexual assault] we do everything that we can to help that person avoid that situation.” Thompson shared the president’s sentiment. “I think that any time our senior leaders are talking about the problem and making it public and making people aware of the problem, it benefits our communities,” she said. “Because we can’t resolve these problems and we can’t really make changes to our campuses unless we’re talking about it.”
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PIPE DREAM
OPINION Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Address: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902 Phone: 607-777-2515 FAx: 607-777-2600 Web: www.bupipedream.com
Fall 2014 editor-in-ChieF* Rachel Bluth editor@bupipedream.com MAnAging editor* Zachary Feldman manager@bupipedream.com
neWs editor* Nicolas Vega news@bupipedream.com Asst. neWs editors Joseph Hawthorne Carla Sinclair Alexandra Mackof oPinion editor* Molly McGrath opinion@bupipedream.com releAse editor* Jacob Shamsian release@bupipedream.com Asst. releAse editor Odeya Pinkus
G
sPorts editor* Ashley Purdy sports@bupipedream.com
An Unambiguous Yes
Asst. sPorts editors Jeff Twitty E.Jay Zarett Fun PAge editor* Ben Moosher fun@bupipedream.com
ov. Andrew Cuomo recently revealed his plan to overhaul the SUNY system’s sexual assault policy.
The policy reform establishes uniform standards for consent, accountability to the SUNY Council and mandatory training programs for faculty and police personnel. The overhaul also brings increased salience to the issue of sexual assault, and the SUNY-wide reform will positively impact Binghamton students. Cuomo’s plan for a uniform definition of affirmative consent sets SUNY apart as a progressive leader in the fight against sexual assault. Affirmative consent means both parties must obtain an enthusiastic yes – whether verbal or clearly indicated through other means – for every sexual act. Such an explicit standard clears up the ambiguity muddying many University sexual assault policies. Critics argue that the affirmative definition of consent will fundamentally change the way we have sex and place many innocent parties on the wrong side of the law.
These critics miss the point: Adding protections for victims of sexual assault is more important than protecting possible rapists. To possibly alter our sexual dynamics at the cost of protection and security of both engaged parties shouldn’t be regarded as a cost too high to incur. We are proud that Cuomo recognizes the value of strict protections against sexual assault. Institutionalizing sexual assault policy at the state level demonstrates that Cuomo takes sexual assault seriously. New York state regulates environmental protection, economic development and transportation through a complex bureaucratic network. With so many college students adversely affected, the same tools must be employed to combat the epidemic of sexual assault. Framing the issue as a responsibility of the state raises the legitimacy of concerns and the accountability to which universities within the SUNY system
design MAnAger* Emma Siegel design@bupipedream.com
will be held – it will no longer be a progressive policy to maintain strong standards of consent and to regard sexual assault as a serious issue, but the norm. Rape is vastly under-reported, and the creation of state-wide institutions that support victims could help many come forward. After introducing this overhaul, Cuomo expressed hope that this policy may evolve into a state law affecting private institutions. Here, the SUNY system and Binghamton University have the opportunity to set a positive precedent for colleges across the state and country. It’s comforting to know that our University already implemented many aspects of Cuomo’s reform policy prior to his announcement, and we hope BU continues to take progressive steps forward in the institutional treatment of sexual assault, for the sake of its students and our national peers.
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Views expressed in the opinion pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staff Editorial, above. The Editorial Board is composed of the Editor-in-Chief, News Editor, Opinion Editor, Sports Editor, and Release Editor.
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The ICC doesn't unfairly target African nations Accusations of neo-colonialism and racism are unwarranted Benjamin Goldberg Contributing Columnist
On Oct. 8, the president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, returned to The Hague for an International Criminal Court (ICC) hearing and returning with him were several questions that have dogged both his trial and the organization facilitating it. Did Kenyatta play a role in the violence that followed the disputed 2007 elections? Are active heads of state subject to prosecution? And perhaps most importantly, does the ICC unfairly target Africans? At a quick glance, the list of ongoing ICC investigations involves many situations in African nations and for some critics this is enough evidence to condemn the organization as racist or even neo-colonialist. Such a condemnation ignores many details. The court is currently conducting preliminary examinations for situations in places such as Colombia, Afghanistan and several others outside of Africa. In order to explain why the only individuals currently under indictment
by the court hail from the African continent, we have to understand how the eight situations under investigation were brought to the court’s attention. Half of these situations (those in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, Uganda and Mali) are all under investigation at the request of the governments of those very countries. Two of the situations (those in Libya and Sudan) are under investigation at the behest of the United Nations Security Council. The final two (those in Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya) are under investigation on the initiative of the ICC’s chief prosecutor. It’s obvious that self-referrals to the court don’t reflect any sort of animosity between certain African governments and the ICC. In fact, it arguably shows enthusiasm for the cooperation with the court. This enthusiasm for cooperation is not without precedent; many African nations and individuals were heavily involved with the court at the time of its founding and many still are today. The organization’s current chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, is Gambian, and one quarter of its judges (including the first vice president) are from various African nations. The heavy involvement of African countries and individuals in the ICC is a direct contradiction to the
claim that the court is a neo-colonialist mechanism. The situations in Sudan and Libya were both referred to the ICC by the UN Security Council with the support of African nations sitting on the Security Council. Clearly, for the majority of current investigations, the ICC was not intentionally targeting Africans, but merely investigating heinous crimes where it was asked to do so. The investigations of the situations of Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya also fall squarely under ICC jurisdiction. The organization operates on what it calls the “principle of complementarity,” meaning the court functions as a last resort when the national judicial systems of states under its jurisdiction are “unwilling or unable genuinely to carry out the investigation or prosecution” of certain individuals. The ICC’s prosecutor only opened an investigation in Kenya after the national parliament failed to pass legislation to establish a tribunal for those suspected of organizing the postelection violence. As for Côte d’Ivoire, ex-President Laurent Gbagbo (who accepted ICC jurisdiction in his country in 2003) only seemed concerned with the courts “imperialist” agenda when he himself was arrested.
Many African nations and individuals were heavily involved with the court at the time of its founding
Pipe Dream is published by the Pipe Dream Executive Board, which has sole and final discretion over the newspaper’s content and personnel. *Positions seated on the Executive Board are denoted by an asterisk. Pipe Dream is published Tuesdays and Fridays while classes are in session during the fall and spring semesters, except during finals weeks and vacations. Pipe Dream accepts stimulating, original guest columns from undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty. Submissions should be 400 to 500 words in length and be thus far unpublished. Columns and letters to the editor in response to something printed in Pipe Dream should be submitted before a subsequent issue is published.
Africans aren’t being unfairly targeted in a judicial witch hunt. With preliminary examinations for Iraq and Afghanistan underway, we may even see the indictment of Westerners. Critics should closely examine the protocols of the ICC before making baseless accusations. — Benjamin Goldberg undeclared freshman
is
an
Submissions must include the writer’s name and phone number, and year of graduation or expected year of graduation. Graduate students and faculty members should indicate their standing as such, as well as departmmental affiliation. Organizational (i.e. student group) affiliations are to be disclosed and may be noted at Pipe Dream’s discretion. Anonymous submissions are not accepted. Any facts referenced must be properly cited from credible news sources. Pipe Dream reserves the right to edit submissions, and does not guarantee publication. All submissions become property of Pipe Dream. Submissions may be e-mailed to the Opinion Editor at opinion@ bupipedream.com.
8
OPINION
October 14, 2014 | www.bupipedream.com
Comedy puts important political issues under the spotlight Shows like South Park generate much-needed political discussion among every day American viewers Skylin Baestlein Contributing Columnist
Smart commentary on current events can sometimes come from the most unexpected sources. Objective journalism is often touted as the best means of raising awareness, but humor is an equally valid means of addressing important issues. Anyone who watches “South Park” and enjoys it could argue that the show is an effective political mechanism. “South Park” — and other forms of comedy — inspire us to contemplate political topics and confront these issues directly in ways that other mediums can not. “South Park’s” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone address subjects relevant to every day American culture. In the past, “South Park”
has tackled family issues, LGBTQ rights, flaws in education systems and divisive subjects such as abortion and animal rights. Why is humor so effective? A study released by CBS demonstrated that laughter helps to improve your short term memory and attention span. “South Park” holds our attention because it’s comical, allowing us to fully absorb the topic under discussion. You are more likely to remember a joke that made you laugh rather than dry statement which evokes no emotion. Humor is unique from the nightly news or C-SPAN in that it targets viewers who may not typically care about politics. Viewers primarily tune into “South Park” for entertainment, not education. We can lament the average American’s short attention span and anti-intellectualism or we can embrace humor as an effective missive for the issues that matter. Shows like “South Park” provide an
outlet for debate. Viewers can frame discussions around the content of the show. For example, “South Park’s” most recent episode, “Cissy,” started a conversation on transgender identity and concerns. In the episode, Stan asks his father, “Dad, is it possible for someone to be one way on the outside, but totally different on the inside? I mean, can somebody identify as one sex, but be something else, but still have it be nothing about sex?” This question calls attention to the many challenges faced by members of the trans community. Transgender discrimination is a serious issue but it is presented in the context of a funny plot line. It’s no coincidence that this episode was recognized as effective by many LGBTQ organizations, including “Outward,” an online news source committed to raising LGBTQ awareness and by Lorde, an advocate of LGBTQ acceptance. Comedic approaches to raising awareness and addressing issues are
not practices exclusive to “South Park.” Other examples of effective political comedians include Bill Maher, Jon Stewart and Lewis Black. Most recently, the student body and parents gathered at the Events Center on Saturday night to see Nick Offerman’s stand-up routine, but
You are more likely to remember a joke that made you laugh rather than a dry statement which evokes no emotion
American 'hysteria' over Ebola is misinformed Media outlets and politicians exploit disaster through fear-mongering Madison Ball Columnist
In recent weeks, anxieties over the West African-borne Ebola virus have dominated American news coverage. The coverage increased after a Texas healthcare worker, who cared for a deceased Liberian Ebola victim, tested positive for Ebola this past weekend. This hysteria has led lawmakers to propose a policy banning travel to West Africa, and even the manufacture of Ebola-inspired novelty Christmas presents. Public health experts keep assuring us time and time again that we are not to worry because the chances of contracting the virus in the United States are slim to none. They’ve even warned that travel bans would not only be ineffective, but counterproductive. In response to lawmakers, including Louisiana Gov.
Bobby Jindal, who called upon the Obama administration to place a ban on travel from Ebola-stricken countries, Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that doing so could worsen the outbreak and cause it to spread to surrounding nations. Despite these informed recommendations, polls are still showing that the majority Americans are in favor of a travel ban. A poll done by NBC News revealed that 58 percent of Americans support a ban on incoming flights from Ebolastricken West Africa. The epidemic in America is not Ebola, it’s fear. America loves being scared. From apocalyptic movies at the box office to viral Internet conspiracy theories, we can’t seem to get enough. Sensationalism attracts viewers. Media outlets know this and they’ve transformed coverage of the virus into a combination of reality TV and “The Day After Tomorrow.” Fox News has been particularly successful in stoking fear and spreading
ignorance. Fox News host Andrea Tantaros stated that the real danger of Ebola was that people in West Africa “don’t believe in traditional medical care,” warning that “someone could get off a flight and seek treatment from a witch doctor.” What better way to scare people than to bring up witchcraft? Her comments are not only wrong, but highly offensive, as she insinuates that African Ebola victims are not to be trusted. And of course, Obama is also used as a scapegoat. Fox News psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow said on Ebola in America: “The psychological toll is already far outpacing the physical one.” He went on to say, “…to help contain this psychological virus there should be a reliable flow of information and bold policy from the Obama administration and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention. But, already, their response lacks the necessary element of steady stewardship. And that’s because of Obama’s continuing reticence to put America first.” According to Fox News, Obama didn’t cause Ebola, but
apparently, he is the reason you’re scared of it. Americans shouldn’t stop caring about Ebola, but we should stop being afraid of Ebola. Americans should care about Ebola, not because our country will be directly affected, but out of compassion for humans suffering. According to the CDC, malaria caused an estimated 207 million clinical episodes and 627,000 deaths in 2012. But malaria coverage wasn’t on the news every day then, simply because Americans were not fearful of catching it. When fear is absent, media outlets cannot capitalize on disease coverage. America is capitalizing on Ebola. The news networks are reeling in viewers, politicians like Jindal are taking drastic positions and opportunists are selling off-color Ebola-themed T-shirts. Maybe instead of caving into fear, we can use this Ebola outbreak as an opportunity to demonstrate empathy for those beyond our borders. — Madison Ball is a senior majroing in in political science.
Have an opinion? Contact our Opinion Editor, Molly McGrath, by emailing opinion@bupipedream.com
most of them ended up walking away with more than just a good laugh. Offerman discussed many social issues such as environmental degradation, dependency on technology and poor work ethic. We listened because the content was presented in an amusing manner and attended because we were looking for a good joke. All of us can learn from the examples of political comedians when staging our own arguments and discussions. A comical approach generally promotes a calmer, less anxious disposition. So maybe the next time you find yourself trying to convince others to care about a topic that matters to you, don’t rely on fiery rhetoric, crack a joke instead.
— Skylin Baestlein is senior majoring in Environmental Studies
Dissent justifies feminist movement Sexist rhetoric demonstrates continued need to speak out In any Lauren Young Contributing
Columnist
movement that seeks to provide
In a patriarchal society where feminism is viewed as worse than misogyny, calls for equality are criticized despite reassurances that feminists do not hate men. Studies show that feminine usernames receive an average of 100 sexually explicit threatening messages a day (compared to masculine usernames, which receive about 3.7 sexually threatening messages). The gendered violence that occurs online (and off) necessitates and makes clear the rationale and the purpose behind the feminist movement. Helen Lewis, an English journalist, devised the eponymous law termed Lewis’ Law, the idea that “the comments on any article about feminism justify feminism.” Embedded in the neck-bearded forest of 4Chan and within the YouTube comments section, you are likely to find deeply misogynistic comments and rape threats. It’s not hard to find and to pretend it doesn’t exist just further contributes to rape culture and the perception that female voice is unreliable and overly emotional. Whenever someone tells me that feminism is unnecessary, his or her responses always seem to justify the exact reason feminism exists. Amanda Hess’ article “Why Women Aren’t Welcome on the Internet” describes this cyber-misogyny and how harassment in the form of derogatory language and sexist rhetoric is much more likely to target women. It is present in exactly any situation where a female is talking about feminism and a male feels that threatening a woman with rape will prove her wrong. This blatant ignorance toward the prevalence of rape culture and its casual denial justifies
a voice for the voiceless the oppressors will always find a way to make it about themselves exactly why rape culture exists and telling a woman that she’s being overdramatic about women’s issues proves how often a woman’s voice is neglected and forgotten like the thousands of rape kits left untouched in the United States. In any movement that seeks to provide a voice for the voiceless, the oppressors will always find a way to make it about themselves. Some white people believe racism isn’t real, and some heterosexuals believe homophobia isn’t validated because it’s easier to dehumanize those whom you don’t see as human. By tearing down feminist arguments with rape threats and sexist rhetoric, misogynists demonstrate why it is imperative to continue speaking out. Until these critics view their ideological opponents as fully human, the need for feminist activism continues. — Lauren Young is a sophomore majoring in Psychology and Philosophy
9
OPINION
October 14, 2014 | www.bupipedream.com
Acceptance of LGBTQ community requires us to transcend labels It is not enough to tolerate individuals who fit squarely within gender and orientation binaries
Gay people are tolerated if they fit into convenient stereotypes
Anita Raychawdhuri Contributing Columnist
As a nation, we’ve made great strides in the acceptance of homosexuality and the fight for gay rights. Unfortunately, there are many issues affecting the LGBTQ community that have yet to be addressed. The average American is willing to accept homosexuality, but on their own terms. Gay people are tolerated if they fit into convenient stereotypes concocted by heterosexuals. Who hasn’t heard a girl say,
“I just really want a gay best friend”? Lesbians are also stereotyped, hyper-sexualized and discussed in terms of the male gaze. To make true progress, we must expand our discussion of LGBTQ issues beyond such stereotypes. We need to question why many are so uncomfortable with people who do not identify neatly within the dichotomy of gay and straight. Bisexuals are met with distrust and intolerance. Faith Cheltenham, founder of BiNet USA, a bisexual organization, argues that, “Bisexuality has often been maligned, both by antiLGBT forces who believe bisexuals are necessarily nonmonogamous and by some gays and lesbians who consider
bisexuality merely a stage on the way to a gay or lesbian identity — or perhaps denial of such an identity. Bisexuals continue to suffer substantial discrimination and abuse.” Sexual fluidity, bisexuality, pansexuality and queerness are acceptable forms of sexuality. It is not enough to show tolerance of “simple” homosexuals, while acting skeptical toward categories beyond the labels of gay and straight. Perhaps, homosexuals are easier to “understand” because we have a strong desire to label ourselves into neat little boxes; man, woman, gay, straight. Humans are not that simple. Not every female identifies as a woman. We label these “confusing” identifications as deviant
because it’s easier than trying to understand people that may be fundamentally different to us in expression of gender and sexuality. Public acceptance should not be affected by our private choices. Across the country, LGBTQ individuals and groups celebrated National Coming Out Day. Let us remember that our underlying culture forces people to come out in the first place. It speaks to our continued backwardness that everyone is assumed to be straight. No one who is heterosexual or cisgender feels the need to come out as they’re accepted as the norm. For everyone else, in order to be comfortable with their identities, they are given the option to come
out. The decision to come out is extremely brave and I commend anyone who chooses to do this. You pave the way for others to accept themselves. But we need to consider why we need to distinguish gay and transgender people as separate. Perhaps one day, there will no longer be a need to celebrate “coming out” and society will accept identities without the use of labels. — Anita Raychawdhuri is a sophomore majoring in English
Sex in the Triple Cities
Explore your spooky side with these risque Halloween role play tips
October is the perfect time for you and a consenting partner to indulge your wildest fantasies Michael Rulli Sex Columnist
Halloween is the perfect opportunity to showcase your true self. Perhaps, you’ll make your mark in the form of Sexy Kitten, Sexy Nurse, Sexy Construction Worker or any other derivatives of the “Sexy” costume. Halloween opens the door for your inner freak to hit the streets, get some candy and if you’re lucky, a cool new profile pic. But I implore you to not forget another door the Halloween season opens: the bedroom door. Just make sure to enter at your own risk and lock it behind you. With the arrival of makeshift costume stores, discounted
special effects makeup and the mass production of costumes demeaning women, what better time than October to give roleplay a try? Role-play can potentially liven up a bedroom or freak out your partner and force your relationship to come to a screeching halt. But if you follow these tips even a latex demon baby doll isn’t off limits. The trick to good role-play is a well-established plot. You don’t need to be an Oscar nominated screenwriter to make up a scenario involving a professor and a student breaking the Binghamton Code of Conduct, or altering the ending of “Scream” to Billy Loomis and Stu getting it on in their Ghostface costumes instead of exacting revenge on Sidney Prescott (my personal favorite). The plot is the most crucial
element of any successful role-play, so write your sickest fantasy down on paper or even just as a note in your phone. After plot, communication is key. It may be embarrassing to tell your partner you want to defile their image of Big Bird forever, but if you want to take advantage of all those costume options at Spirit Halloween, you have to be willing to take that risk. Tell them you had a dream about being Snow White and spanking a dwarf. Maybe you envision yourself as the big bad wolf and you don’t want to eat Little Red Riding Hood in the way everyone expects. The worst that can happen is they say no or think you’re a lunatic. Don’t worry, there are a whole bunch of Bearcats roaming around Vestal willing to try out your wildest fantasy. Rules: Talk to your partner
about your limits. If you don’t mind being spanked but definitely do not want to be tied up by King Kong, make sure you say this ahead of time. This is the perfect way to avoid any discomfort while staying “in scene.” And speaking of staying in scene, don’t get stingy. October is the perfect month to get a year’s worth of supplies, including props, masks and wigs. If you’re stuck in a dorm room with a prude roommate, keep the scene minimal. Here, costume rather than staging will be your friend. But let’s say you have a mansion on Riverside and enough roommates to create a “Clue”themed orgy. In that case, props like, “it was Mrs. White in the study with the dildo” can only make the experience more fun and enjoyable for all. That leads us to the most
important part, have fun. Get creative. Be willing to make a fool of yourself. This is between you and your partner and letting your kinky side out every once in a while can be liberating. Take advantage of cheap costumes and a surplus of plastic axes and swords. Have some good ol’ dirty fun. Whether you’re two disney princesses or princes going at it in a not-so-Disney fashion, or perhaps a Michael Meyers who wants to stick his victim with a different kind of pointy end, have fun. Brainstorm an idea, talk about it, set up some ground rules and get spooky. — Michael Rulli is a junior majoring in English
Role-play can potentially liven up a bedroom or freak out your partner
10
You went out with your friends and had a big night. You went to a lot of new houses and met to a you stayed up too late, had too much to drink and threw up on yourself. Then you fell asleep and
a lot of new people. You played beer pong and yelled at others when you lost. But then d woke up feeling sick and grumpy. Your parents pay for you to do this, you big baby.
11 Photos by Lydia Fletcher, Contributing Photographer
FUN
12
Waiting for Good Dough #4
Fun. RELEASE DATE– Friday, September 28, 2007
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis ACROSS 1 Flu episode 5 It may be forward 9 Great honor 14 Governess to King Mongkut’s children 15 Guernsey, e.g. 16 Threw a hissy fit 17 Abbr. on a cookie box 18 Bit of help 19 Mapquest alternative 20 Boozy Japanese woodworker? 23 Onetime David Bowie label 24 Bass ending 25 One of a slapstick trio 26 Cabin in the woods, maybe 28 Gold leaf, essentially 30 Fighter plane acronym 33 Robed Japanese monsters? 36 Tex. Instruments product 38 Baba not au rhum? 39 Largest oceanic dolphin 40 Japanese region known for its beef? 45 Purge 46 More, according to architect van der Rohe 47 L.I. college named for a prepared-food pioneer 50 Four spot? 51 Tool for a long row 52 Radar was one: Abbr. 53 Golden oldie about Japanese food preparation? 58 Monicagate snitch 59 Nobleman 60 Dick, at times 61 Peak in a Trevanian title 62 It might land you in deep water 63 Other than this 64 Test type
65 Iditarod transport 66 P & L, e.g, DOWN 1 Monopoly job 2 One way to buy 3 Smooth 4 “Mon Oncle” director 5 “Stars and Stripes Forever” solo instrument 6 Narnia lion 7 Insult 8 Permeate 9 Muesli kin 10 Café concoction 11 Unwelcome look 12 Something to bring up 13 Rushing meas. 21 Linguist Chomsky 22 Qatar’s Hamad bin Khalifa alThani, for one 27 Time piece? 28 Doesn’t stay in 29 Garfield housemate 30 “When it rains, it pours” sloganeer 31 Ltd. relative 32 Fed. property overseer
34 Rob Roy refusals 35 It commonly contains nuts and dried fruit 36 Shopping area: Abbr. 37 Hawaiian tuna 41 Grand entertainment 42 Bridges of Los Angeles County 43 Looked displeased 44 “Babe” critters
48 Split 49 Kind of water 50 Aggressive one 51 Villechaize of “Fantasy Island” 53 Van Gogh subject 54 Newtonian fruit? 55 PF Flyers’ rival 56 Get exactly right 57 Some Beehive State collegians 58 Athletic supporter?
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
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By Donna S. Levin (c)2007 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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www.bupipedream.com | October 14, 2014
Miriam Geiger
RELEASE Arts & Culture
JOKES & RECREATION Nick Offerman takes stage for Family Weekend Jacob Shamsian | Release Editor Nick Offerman took the stage on Saturday night, sans shirt, in front of a sold-out crowd of over 3,000 students and their family members for an evening of stand-up comedy. As he came onstage, he praised Binghamton University’s “noble emerald and white,” and complimented Baxter for winning Mascot Madness last year, beating out Cornell’s “Pooh Bear” and Cortland’s “Puff.” Afterward, Offerman put on his shirt, explaining that he was allowed to display “brief nudity” as part of the guidelines he was asked to follow for Family Weekend. Offerman performed his “Full Bush” routine, which partly refers to his “patch of pelt, covering the lower 16 inches of torso,” and partly refers to his lifestyle of knowing how to use tools to sustain yourself. “We’re becoming like those baby-like adults in ‘Wall-E,’ who are fed milkshakes of everything,” Offerman said. Offerman’s gruff, woodsy tone on stage — and his outfit, an orange flannel shirt with blue jeans — recalled Ron Swanson, his famous character on “Parks and Recreation,” a thoroughly American government bureaucrat who believes in neither government nor skim milk and, like his real-life counterpart, is a woodworker. Megan Mullally, his wife, recurs on the show as his exwife. She was the subject of his first song, “The Rainbow Song,” a comedic, romantic gesture to his wife. It’s part of what he called a woodworking-themed Johnny Cash cover album. Later in the show, he played the first ukelele he made, a mahogany “piece of shit.” Between his surreal, off-kilter
songs, Offerman gave love advice and talked about Wendell Berry — an agrarian writer who works on a farm in Kentucky — who he says inspires the humor and heart of his characters. He also gave students advice, drawing from his experience of growing up in rural Illinois. “When I went to college, I realized that I had a leg up on everyone else because I could get up in the morning and get stuff done,” Offerman said. Offerman said that he met students from the suburbs who said, “My mom doesn’t make me get up.” Meanwhile, “I already plowed two rows, motherfucker.” Offerman’s philosophy of life is to “paddle your own canoe” (also the title of his book), which means to be self-sufficient. Before he could make a living as an actor, Offerman used his tools to build things, and continues to do so in his woodworking shop. One of Offerman’s songs was a retort to Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus Take the Wheel,” a parody taken from “American Ham,” his previous routine. He’s been feuding with Underwood for years, he said, and the song ruined what was his favorite genre of music, “popcountry Christian.” “I have nothing against prayer and faith,” Offerman said. “I think they’re both wonderful institutions. Maybe say a prayer when you turn into a fucking skid.” Two students, Jordan Siegel, president of Bing Stand Up and a senior majoring in mathematics, and Jeremy Kaplowitz, the group’s vice president and a senior majoring in economics, opened the show with their own stand-up routines. Stephanie Zagreda, vice president for programming of the Student
Association and a senior majoring in English, said that, unlike Demetri Martin and Lewis Black, who performed for the last two Family Weekends, Offerman wasn’t touring with anyone else – he drove himself from New York City to Binghamton. Zagreda said she could not disclose the cost of booking Offerman because of contract confidentiality. Zagreda said the SA Programming Board had trouble finding another comedian whose style would work well with Offerman’s. A few groups approached her about opening for him, and she ultimately decided to showcase student talent with Bing Stand Up in what turned out to be the SAPB’s first sold-out nonconcert show in the Events Center. “They did very well for what the audience was, and for how big it was,” Zagreda said. “I’m sure they were shaking in their boots a little bit, with the size of their audience.” Siegel opened the show sporting a Reptar sweater and a mix of jokes from his stand-up routines. His performance was followed by Kaplowitz. “It was probably the most people I’ll ever do standup in front of, ever,” Kaplowitz said. “It was crazy.” Offerman closed his performance with a guitar rendition of Mouse Rat’s “5,000 Candles in the Wind,” a farewell to Li’l Sebastian and a welcome surprise to fans of “Parks and Recreation.” Some of the crowd sang along. “Please work hard, and don’t do too many drugs,” Offerman said. “Get off your caboose, paddle your own canoe.” And then he walked off the stage. Assistant Release Editor Odeya Pinkus contributed to this report. Franz Lino/Photo Editor
From 'action!' to 'cut!' in 48 hours
10 student-made short films screen and compete before jury Joseph Barberio | Contributing Writer
People have been dedicated to filmmaking, and that’s really all BFI wants — Jared Biunno BFI Co-founder
Student filmmakers and movie buffs packed Lecture Hall on Saturday afternoon as the Film 48 competition drew to a close. The filmmakers finally saw the fruits of their labor as all of the films were screened for an audience prior to the Award Ceremony. Film 48 is a new contest collaboratively created by the Binghamton Film Initiative (BFI) and BTV. In it, teams of student filmmakers had to write, shoot, edit and submit an original short film within a 48-hour period. The film teams consist of, at most, 10 students from any academic discipline on campus, not just cinema or theater majors. The short films must each be between three and six minutes long, excluding credits. To ensure that all of the films were original and made within the contest period of 48 hours, the teams were assigned a random genre at the Kickoff Event last Friday, right before the start of the competition. All film teams were
also assigned a line of dialogue, a character name and a prop that they all had to use in their short films. That way, the teams wouldn’t be able to write or start filming before the time period began. According to Michael Hickey, BTV president and a senior doublemajoring in computer science and history, the goal of Film 48 is to give student filmmakers an opportunity to make films, regardless of their major. “We want more films to be made, more student filmmakers and actors working together,” Hickey said. “That’s sort of BFI’s mission and we encourage that strongly at BTV as well. We are hoping this can become a yearly thing where people can come together and make films.” At the Premiere Event and Award Ceremony, all of the 10 eligible films were screened to the audience, as well as two additional films that were submitted, but were not eligible for the competition due to length. The films spanned a wide variety of genres, from common ones
like comedy and mystery, to less conventional genres, like silent film and road movies. All of the films were received warmly by the audience, who were happy to congratulate the teams for their hard work and achievements. All of the eligible films can be seen on BTV’s YouTube page. After the screenings, awards were distributed to the winners. A panel of judges consisting of Binghamton University faculty members determined the winners for best editing, cinematography, screenplay, acting ensemble, director and picture. The judged portion of the Award Ceremony was swept by the film “Lucid.” The science fiction film picked up every single honor awarded by the judge panel including the best picture award. Audience members awarded the Fan Favorite Award to the suspense-thriller film, “Deadly Keys.” The second- and third-place winners for best picture went to “Deadly Keys” and the mystery film “Tommy,” respectively. Tyler Downey, a senior doublemajoring in theater and English,
directed “Lucid.” He said making “Lucid” went more smoothly than he thought it would go. “It was actually less bumpy then I thought it would be,” Downey said. “It was really pleasant. I had worked with all of my cast and crew on different theater projects, and we are all friends, too.” BFI co-founder Jared Biunno said that Film 48 was successful enough to return next semester and become a biannual event. “I’m blown away,” Biunno said. “Words cannot explain how thrilled I am with the level of participation and the amount of enthusiasm. People have been dedicated to filmmaking, and that’s really all BFI wants. This is one of the first times since I had been a freshman, at this University in the cinema department, that I have noticed there is an emergence of a filmmaking community at this University. First-time students are coming together and really collaborating and joining together in filmmaking.”
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Cult TV shows and cosplay at NYCC We always try to have an A side and a B side — Dan Harmon Rick and Morty Co-creator
Photo Provided by The Associated Press
'Broad City' and 'Rick and Morty' creators talk upcoming seasons at New York Comic Con Liam O’Malley | Contributing Writer Over 150,000 fans and artists swarmed New York City’s Javits Center this weekend, at the ninth annual New York Comic Con. This year, the New York convention beat out the flagship San Diego one, hosted earlier this year, in attendance. Over four days, costumed fans attended autographing events, starstudded panels, charity art auctions and early film and TV screenings. Among the many famed attendees at this year’s symposium, were the the creators and stars of both Adult Swim’s “Rick and Morty” and Comedy Central’s “Broad City.” Each hosted panels to answer fan questions and discuss what’s in store for their upcoming seasons. At the “Broad City” panel, the show’s stars Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer both danced on to the stage, and even danced around a cosplayer dressed as a character from “The Walking Dead,” who attempted to move to the back of the room. What was once a web series, “Broad City” features Abbi and Ilana, two best friends taking on city life. The show, produced by Amy Poehler, will be returning for its second season in January. When asked about the biggest surprises of
transitioning from making webisodes to making a fullfledged television show, they both said that getting to work with new people was the biggest adjustment. “We had this grip named Rocko who we ended up having play a guy jerking off on a park bench in the episode ‘Apartment Hunters,’” Glazer said. “I never would have known about him before 2009, so I wouldn’t have done something like that.” When asked how much they’re like their characters on the show, Glazer appeared readily prepared to address the topic. “About 15 percent,” Glazer said. “It’s like my fucking nuttiest and Abbi’s fucking craziest.” Jacobson and Glazer also gave advice on trying to make comedy. They said that it was better to make as much content as possible; to focus less on what will make you famous and more on what will be the best thing you personally can do. “A lot of people will keep waiting and perfecting what they have,” Jacobson said. “When they finally release it people are like, ‘This is good, but I haven’t really seen much else from you.’” They then closed off by showing a clip from the upcoming season, where viewers can see just how much Abbi loves Bed, Bath & Beyond. When trying to buy an air conditioner, it became clear that Abbi has
secret handshakes with the employees. “Rick and Morty,” an animated series, features Rick, a mad scientist, who lives with his grandson Morty. Together, they travel through dimensions of time and space. The show’s co-creator Justin Roiland began his panel by answering questions about the show’s art style. When asked why all the characters’ eyes looked like buttholes, he was prepared with a genuine answer. “I saw the storyboards and just said ‘This is too nice,’” said Roiland, adding that “It’s also a callback to the original shorts I did on Channel 101.” Roiland expanded on his unique art style by explaining why he tries to make almost every alien on the show have noticeable genitals. “We had storyboards that our writers could put stuff they liked on it,” Roiland said, “I would always see they had silly stuff like butts on it and just thought ‘This is what they like, let’s do it.’” Co-creator Dan Harmon also said that a big part of the writing process involved Roiland coming into the writers’ room to see what was being worked on and then acting out the idea in the voices of the main characters. “If Justin was just having a conversation about how stupid the idea was,” Harmon said, “you knew he
wasn’t on board.” Harmon then addressed how the episodes tend to mix silly with serious. “We always try to have an A side and a B side” Harmon said, “The A side will be Rick going up to Morty and telling him they have to go to get shmoobies from planet schmoople and the B side will be a Woody Allen type story of someone’s marriage falling apart.” They also made sure to discuss what’s in store for the next season. Harmon in particular was quick to establish that the characters Beth and Jerry would continue to face marital troubles in season two. “They’re always about one minute from divorce,” Harmon said, explaining that one of the episodes would be about the two characters going to another planet for marriage counseling. The panel ended with a montage of clips from the upcoming season which displayed all of Rick’s new catchphrases. Fan favorite “Wubuhlubbadubdub” is back in addition to having hard hitters like “Schmibipity pow,” “Eggs,” and a favorite among the crowd, “You can lic-lic-lic-lick my balls.” “I want each of these catchphrases put on a shirt at Hot Topic” Roiland said.
Taking poetry from page to performance Jonathan Ortiz | Contributing Writer A lone microphone stood resolute before a murmuring crowd. Meanwhile, backstage, 10 restless competitors quietly rehearsed stanza after stanza of original poetry, each face broadcasting mixed feelings of nervousness and determination. Welcome, ladies and gents, to the first Poetry Slam of the semester, courtesy of the Slam Poetry Club. Get ready to sit back, relax and applaud with some snaps. Originating out of the Green Mill, a Chicago jazz club, slam poetry adds a soulful and passionate twist to this classic form of literature. In 1986, Marc Smith organized the Uptown Poetry Slam, the first cabaret-style poetry competition of its kind, earning himself the moniker “Slam Papi.” Over the past 28 years, the Uptown Poetry Slam has continued to be a staple event at the Green Mill, and slam poetry’s theatrical manner of expression has spread its contagious influence across the nation. Dan Roman, Slam Poetry Club president and a senior majoring in English, said he’s dedicated to the genre because of the connection a poet establishes with his audience as he performs. “My favorite moments are when the audience doesn’t know anything about you when you walk up to the mic,” Roman said. “If you can make them laugh or feel something, then you know you performed well.”
As a platform for students’ creative voices, the Slam Poetry Club opens up various avenues for eager, endeavoring writers to share their work and receive insight on how to sharpen their skills. The club holds weekly meetings as well as performance workshops for poets to present original pieces and share ideas amongst peers. It will host a performance workshop open to the public on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. Lindsay Young, a club member and a junior majoring in psychology, has been thankful for her ability to share her personal musings among friends and trusted writers. “I’ve been writing forever, but was too scared to perform,” Young said. “It feels so good when you are recognized for doing something that you love.” Whether seen as a rebellious “up yours” toward structured poetry readings or simply an open forum for creativity and artistic acceptance, the competitive atmosphere of poetry slams are the driving force of the club. The rules are simple. There are three rounds of performances and each reading is scored by a panel of judges. The poets are allowed three minutes to perform their piece, and the highest-scoring competitors move on to the next round. After the final round, the judges are thanked, the winner is announced and a round of applause erupts for all of the poets. Thursday night’s slam was particularly gutsy. Poets showed no fear as they made rhythmic commentary on dicey topics such
as gender identity, misogyny, racism, sexual tension and death. Despite the informal mood of a slam, the audience’s open ears are receptive to whatever material the poet chooses to discuss, putting a lot of pressure on the poet’s performance. “I have a panic attack before every single round,” Young said. “But, once you get past the first line without throwing up, everything else falls into place.” Audience participation plays a part in poetry slams as well. The
performer must read the crowd to get a sense of what topics and styles of performing are getting the best reaction. The result is a provocatively enjoyable show that sends viewers home thirsty for more. “If you read a poem from a piece of paper, it’s difficult to understand the author’s emotion or intentions,” said Lorna Erb, a junior majoring in English. “The intensity was 10 times greater watching it live.”
Klara Rusinko/Contributing Photographer Students watch as Slam Poetry Club members (counterclockwise) Adam Brunner, a junior majoring in English; Molly McNeely, a senior majoring in English; and Jacob Lazen, a freshman double-majoring in business and English, show off their best rhymes. The event took place on Oct. 9 in Lecture Hall 10.
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Harpur Cinema starts rolling, slowly
Klara Rusinko/Contributing Photographer Vera Brunner-Sung discusses her first feature length film, “Bella Vista,” in Lecture Hall 6 on Friday night.
Brunner-Sung presents her film 'Bella Vista,' but the view isn't great Paige Gittelman | Contributing Writer It’s not every day someone gets the chance to watch a professional film alongside its director – let alone ask questions about it after. On Friday, however, Harpur Cinema provided people with this opportunity in Lecture Hall 6, where they held a screening of Vera Brunner-Sung’s first feature-length film, “Bella Vista.” “Bella Vista” is the first of seven films to be screened as part of the Harpur Cinema series this semester. Titles to be shown soon include french film “Je t’aime, Je t’aime,” and the Chinese film “A Touch of Sin,” which lit up the festival circuit. Brunner-Sung, an adjunct lecturer at the University of Montana, introduced her film to the audience. “It may be different from the kinds of films you’re used to seeing,” she said. “It does have a slower pace, there are a lot of wide, long shots, and I guess all I’ll say about that is I really enjoy that kind of composition because it lets my attention wander in the frame and think about the sound as well.” This seemed fair enough. After all, the name of the film means “good view,” so it would make sense there would be some degree of emphasis on wide shots, stillness and scenery. Yet despite this introduction, it didn’t make it any easier to watch for the next 83 minutes. While the wide, long shots of scenic, cloudy Montana gave thoughtful context to a narrative about isolation and loneliness, the extreme length of the cuts and their lack of eventfulness made the film feel tedious and downright uninteresting. This isn’t to say that long shots can’t be powerful. They are a commendable risk for any director, giving a sense of vulnerable realism to the otherwise highly chopped and edited world of film. They can also be
simply beautiful or meditative, as many of the quiet, scenic shots in “Bella Vista” were. While this painterly aspect of the film had some appeal, its lack of variety in pacing or in including other kinds of shots made the narrative fall flat, and the movie feel like one where nothing was moving, both literally and figuratively. When the film was over, BrunnerSung said that the stillness and sense of frustration the film induced was its intended purpose. She explained how the film was deeply relevant to her life, and she wrote the script after she moved from Los Angeles to Missoula, Montana, which, as she described, was like moving from “the land of sunshine into a dark grey hole.” The main character, Doris, was undergoing a similar transition and, as Brunner-Sung put it, was “in a sort of limbo state.” “She’s drifting,” Brunner-Sung said. “Her character is the idea of a loss of identity, not sure where you belong, not able to connect anymore.” In this sense, the film was certainly effective in evoking a sense of limbo. But even if that was its intended effect, should a film instill boredom and frustration in its audience? Especially if the feelings aren’t rooted in empathy or investment in the story, but sheer frustration with its pacing? Successful films are not necessarily always pleasurable, but they are always compelling. The limbo nature of this film about limbo prevented it from having such a moving effect. However, Vera Brunner-Sung was herself fascinating. She’s boldly experimenting with her medium, and continually learning about it through her interactions with viewers like those of us who attended the event Friday night. It should be interesting to see what she makes and discovers about her craft in the future.
'The Judge' guilty of clichés
Provided by The Associated Press
Adult drama movies have their day in court, but the verdict isn't looking good Patrick Hao | Contributing Writer The mainstream contemporary adult drama has become a lost art in this era of genre blockbuster and superhero films. The gimmick-free adult drama, the types of movies that Julia Roberts would populate, no longer seems to be made for a wide audience. A newcomer, “The Judge,” tries to fill that void. While this R-rated movie features a troupe of adults whose struggles with life come from an unceremonious relationship with parental figures, the film is riddled with clichés. It feels like the filmmakers were pining for those creations of a bygone era. “The Judge” has a simple story, as most of these stories do. A cold-hearted big city lawyer (Robert Downey Jr.), who gets the baddest of bad acquitted, goes back to his small town roots and confronts his father (Robert Duvall), a judge, who is the reason why he has become the man he is today. Downey needs to help his father get through his own criminal trial, a recipe that makes for the most standard of courtroom dramas. Director David Dobkin isn’t subtle with his themes. He flat out shows you from the opening frame of the film. All the surrounding characters, played by a great but underused supporting cast, serve as conduits to keep the momentum of the fatherand-son dynamic moving. Vincent D’Onofrio plays Downey’s older brother, a should-have-been baseball star stuck in the small town because of an accident
caused by his brother. Jeremy Strong is the youngest brother, a simpleton who spouts out words that are either comedic or wise beyond his brain capacity. Then there is the underrated Vera Farmiga, one of Downey’s old flames, used merely as a compassionate ear and given a subplot that goes nowhere. Nothing about this film is surprising. It hits all the expected beats. This is the type of film in which a big emotional argument occurs in a court room during cross examination that causes the two protagonists to burst into tears. Even the actor sparring contest between Duvall and Downey doesn’t lift the movie out of its thorough averageness, although Duvall does have some wonderfully subtle moments undermined by laughable overacting in a later scene. “The Judge” is overlong, hitting the same thematic points multiple times, causing it to lose any resonance it could have had. In the end, it’s troubling when the central conflict of the film can be boiled down to, “When I wanted a hug daddy, you were not there.” Yet, the sincerity and clichés from tired movies feel fresh in today’s movie climate. Straightforward dramas like this are rare. That does not mean of course that this is a good film, but it’s a welcome choice in between the young adult adaptations or the most recent genre thriller. “The Judge” is a film of a bygone era that should not be gone. The producers of Hollywood need to make more of this kind of film, maybe just a little better.
Nothing about this film is surprising. It hits all the expected beats.
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Q A NICK with
OFFERMAN Comedian talks ‘Parks and Rec,’ spiedies and the superhero he would like to play jacob shamsian release editor After his Family Weekend comedy set on Saturday night, Nick Offerman sat down for an interview jointly organized by Pipe Dream, WHRW 90.5 FM, BTV and the Binghamton Film Initiative. Offerman spoke about filming the last season of “Parks and Recreation,” trying a spiedie and what’s going to be in his next book. Here’s a condensed and edited version of the interview – the full version is online.
RELEASE:
You made a few Binghamton-specific jokes in your performance. When you visit so many different places, and are touring around the country, how do you keep your act fresh from place to place? Do you research jokes for every place you visit?
NICK OFFERMAN:
Massengill Disposable Douche. Are you familiar with that product?
R: I am not. NO: It’s a feminine hygiene product.
To help the lady keep feeling fresh. That was maybe an ’80s joke. I love live performance and I come from the theater, where I learn a play as though it’s scripture, and I perform it to the letter. Conversely, when I perform as a humorist, my show continues to evolve, and so something that helps that is when I am going to any specific area of the country, I’ll do a little homework and see if there’s anything funny to talk about. Colleges often have a mascot that is crying out to be mocked. Or, you know, a sports team, or some sort of administrator who’s been in a scandal.
And so, you know, the end being in sight is very emotional. I’m already beginning to feel pretty bereft. At the same time, I’m incredibly grateful I got to do it at all, and I’m really thankful that we’re ending it on the terms of my boss Mike Schur. You know, he sort of made a deal with the network. Like, I’ll do less episodes if you let me do the ending the way I want to. And we’re doing that, and so from soup to nuts, this has been the best table I’ve ever sat at.
R: At the song that you sang at the end of your set, there’s a line that you might saddle up Li’l Sebastian once again. Do you think there’s a chance of you revisiting your role?
NO: Oh, I thought you were asking if I was going to have sex with Little Sebastian.
R: That was my next question. NO: I fucked the stuffing out of that
little horse, son. Nah, I doubt it. I mean, nobody’s said anything. I feel like – my wife at one time was supposed to make a spin-off of her role on “Will and Grace.” That was the plan, and then they spun off Joey from “Friends,” and it failed, and in network mentality they were like, “Well, the apple failed, so the cantaloupe could never work!” So if something was in the works, I believe I would’ve heard about it by now. I don’t expect there will be seeing Mr. Swanson again.
R: You said in previous interviews
that you once auditioned to play the role of Wolverine, and your “Parks and Rec” costar Chris Pratt is of course in “Guardians of the Galaxy” as Star Lord. If you could play any superhero, who would it be?
R: How did you do your homework for NO: That’s a good question. For
Binghamton?
NO: I asked the stage crew when I got
here. What’s the sports team? What’s the colors? And they proffered the information about the mascot. Oh, I had a good joke about the spiedie sandwich. I was fed a spiedie sandwich, and I asked why it was called a spiedie sandwich. No one knew, but I discovered about 15 minutes later, in the ladies’ room, why in fact it’s called a spiedie sandwich. The dressing room is in the women’s staff locker room, and they drape black fabric across all the lockers. It’s a very awkward-feeling space, until I discovered that I had four toilet stalls, including an enormous handicap stall, at my disposal. So I did utilize all four of them, but I only pooped in one.
R:
You’re shooting the last season of “Parks and Rec,” right? What’s that experience like? To be ending a role you’re so closely associated with?
NO:
There’s a lot of emotion going on. I suppose it’s like winning a lottery, the sort where they say, “OK, you’ve won a million dollars, but we’re going to give you a million dollars every week for about seven years.” And so every week is pretty swell, and then you get to year five and six and you’re like, “Oh shit. They’re gonna quit giving me a million dollars soon.”
years, because I’m a little more beefy than the way most of those guys are drawn, I always thought the only guy I could play was Ben Grimm, who becomes The Thing in The Fantastic Four, because he’s a rather thick fellow. In fact, Michael Chiklis played him, which some would argue is a little too thick … no, he’s terrific. I’ll never disparage that guy. Wolverine was always my dream and again, I think Hugh Jackman is an incredibly talented performer but I don’t know. I’ve had enough of those movies, like Wolverine’s been kind of ruined for me because it used to be this weird thing nobody knew about and only really weird Dungeons and Dragons kids even knew who the fuck Wolverine was, and we’d say “snikt snikt” to each other in the hallway because that’s the noise that his blades make when they come out. And then it became this huge popular thing. There’s some comics that I like. There’s one called “The Boys” that I really love and the main dude is The Butcher. I wouldn’t mind taking a swing at that guy. But I’m too old. Who’s an old superhero? Some sort of weird cowboy-sheriff-boxer.
R: You were involved in a theater
company, Defiant Theatre. You won an award in Puppetry and Masks in 1998. Has your work behind the scenes informed your acting?
NO: Well, I grew up in this great farm family, which is a community of people working together for a small monetary profit. But the riches we gleaned with our life together were multifold. And the same is true of small theater companies. You don’t make any money, but you live like a king. The life is so delicious, you achieve the highest highs and some very low lows, but I can’t imagine feeling more alive through my youth. And so I feel like that’s carried forward even now. On any project that I work on, I do my best. Sometimes it’s hard if I work on a movie for two days but I generally do my best to learn everybody’s names. Because I’ve often been on the crew, I’ve often been the guy driving the truck or the guy screwing the scenery together, and so that’s who I gravitate to. I can never lose sight of the fact that we’re all making this together.
And that’s kind of antithetical to the normal hotshot attitude of where you’re supposed to hold yourself apart from the hoi polloi slinging the camera cable. But I guess in that way I’ve always enjoyed the theater, because if you get a group of creative, passionate people together, maybe one time you’re Hamlet and maybe next time you’re sewing the costumes for the ladies to do Trojan women or what have you. And I feel much more passionate about projects where I can see everybody making it together. Even that Mask and Puppetry award, I shared it with a team. I was the head of the team, but we had ten way better artists than me making these super cool masks and these weird little puppets.
R: You mentioned on stage that you’re
working on your second book. Could you talk a bit about that, and maybe what else is next for you?
NO: Sure. My second book, we’re just
deciding on the title, and it’s a book about a group of great Americans that have inspired me, in short. It starts with George Washington, and we get some historical figures: Ben Franklin, Teddy Roosevelt, Susan B. Anthony, Eleanor Roosevelt, Frederick Douglass. And then we get to people that are more recently passed away or still living. And some of those are like Michael Pollan, the great food writer, Wendell Berry, who I mentioned in my show, who to me is the hero, the Elvis Presley or Justin Bieber, depending on your age. He is the one who gets my panties in a bundle. And you
know, Carol Burnett I’m talking to, Laurie Anderson who is a great performance artist and musician. I’m trying to land an interview with Willie Nelson. Muckrakers, people who paddle their own canoes and have achieved a great success by being really independent and really selfsufficient. And it’s sort of looking at these people’s lives – and those who I can talk to, I am – to look at our country which is described by our founding fathers as being a great American experiment. And I feel like it was a great leap forward in human rights and personal freedoms and democracy. But at the same time, it was very much established by all wealthy white dudes who were like, signing the Declaration of Independence with ink that their slaves had just crushed up in the backyard. We’ve made all these leaps forward begrudgingly, but I’m just interested as an artist in examining how we can continue to evolve.
R: Is your book the format of an essay collection on each of these people?
NO: Kind of, each chapter is a person. Yoko Ono…
R: She’s one of them? NO: Yeah. R: Why do you find her so great? NO: My wife is a big fan of her art.
peace and loving one another. And I just find her incredibly heroic. Hopefully some dipshit Ron Swanson fans will read my book and be like, “Oh, man, I didn’t know she was actually cool.” So there’s a lot of that going on. I think I’m doing a reality show about making stuff. Like a “Handmade in America” kind of oldfashioned craft show.
R: In your woodshop? NO: Some in my woodshop. I
don’t want it to take over my woodshop because I have woodworkers performing woodworking there. My woodshop will be represented, but it will also travel to different shops around the country and visit people who make things in an oldfashioned way. I have some film work. My wife and I have a new touring show called “Summer of 69.” No apostrophe. We’re going to tour a lot next year.
R: What’s that tour going to be about? NO: Well we did it once already, then this Broadway show took her away for about five months from touring. But it’s kind of an old-fashioned variety, husband and wife, like Sonny and Cher kind of show. With songs, and it’s very funny, and very ribald, as the title would have you believe. And we end with a big dance number.
And she said we’re going to her opening one time, in Santa Monica. And I said “You’re aware she’s the evil woman who broke up The Beatles, right?” And this was about 15 years ago, and she said, “Mmm … I don’t know that’s the case, but here, check out her art.” And I had no idea of her life as an artist. She saw this guy who is like the closest thing to a messiah in our millennia gunned down in front of her on the sidewalk of her building, The Dakota. Didn’t move, still lives there. Never batted an eyelash. Just kept on promoting her ideas and his ideas to try and promote world
Franz Lino/Photo Editor Emma Siegel/Design Manager
www.bupipedream.com | October 14, 2014
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SPORTS
BU prepares for 2014 with scrimmage BEARCAT BRIEFS Under new head coach Brad Smith, Binghamton opens its fall season with Green and White Scrimmage, heads to UMass for first meet on Oct. 31
Brodsky leads women's tennis at Buffalo invite Staff Reports The Binghamton women’s tennis team participated in its third non-scoring event of the fall season last weekend, this time at the three-day Buffalo Invitational, hosted by Buffalo. Junior Shea Brodsky highlighted the Bearcats’ performance, finishing on top of the Flight B singles bracket with a 3-0 record. Brodsky defeated Cleveland State junior Jana Schober, 6-0, 6-4, before moving on to top Buffalo senior Laura Fernandez and junior Dayana Agasieva, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) and 7-5, 6-1, respectively, to capture the championship. Junior Sarah Kohtz
also contributed a solid performance for BU. After falling in her opening match by losing a pair of sets, 6-2, Kohtz rebounded to win her last two matches of the tournament. Brodsky’s success did not continue for the doubles matches. Brodsky and her partner, junior Alexis Tashiro, would fall, 8-6, in consecutive matches to duos from Buffalo and Niagara. The Bearcats will conclude their fall season this weekend when they head to the ITA East Regional, hosted by Yale University.
Golf team finishes in eighth at Big 5 Invitational Staff Reports After finishing in first place at the Hiawatha Invitational it hosted last weekend, the Binghamton golf team took home an eighth-place finish at the Big 5 Invitational hosted by Temple University this weekend. BU dropped two places between Saturday and Sunday, posting a team score of 309(+29) in round two for a 607(+47) final score. The host team, Temple, finished in first place out of the 14 teams participating in the two-day tournament, shooting a total of 572. Leading the Bearcats on the scoreboard was junior Jesse Perkins, who finished in a six-way tie for 13th, shooting 74(+4) both on Saturday and Sunday for a 148-stroke tournament performance. Senior Josh Holling was the team’s second-best shooter of the weekend, finishing in a tie for 25th after recording 76(+6) strokes each day. He ultimately finished with 152 strokes. Rounding out the Bearcats’ five, sophomore Sameer Kalia Michael Contegni/Staff Photographer and Klara Rusinko/Contributing Photographer
The Binghamton swimming and diving teams suited up for the first time this fall under new head coach Brad Smith in its Green and White Scrimmage on Friday.
took home a tie for 32nd after shooting 153(+13) and senior Jack Sedgewick and sophomore Kyle Wambold stayed close behind, posting scores of 155 and 157, respectively. Temple’s Brandon Matthews earned first place on the individual level, shooting 69(-1) in both rounds for a final score of 138(-2). University of Rhode Island’s Joseph Leavitt contributed the best individual round, following up on a 75(+5) shooting performance in the first round with a tournament-best 66(-4) in the second. His turnaround was enough to secure him second overall, jumping up 21 spots between the two rounds. Next up for the Bearcats is a weekend at Lehigh, where the teams will participate in the Lehigh University Invitational. The twoday tournament is scheduled to take place this weekend.
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www.bupipedream.com | October 14, 2014
BU FINDS MIXED RESULTS IN WEEKEND MATCHES In first home games of 2014, BU falls to Hawks in five, trumps SBU E. Jay Zarett
Assistant Sports Editor
It may have been the same Binghamton volleyball team that took the court on both Friday and Saturday, but you wouldn’t have guessed that based on its play. The Bearcats (5-16, 3-2 America East) looked out of sync in their five-set loss to Hartford on Friday, but proved potent in their fourset victory over Stony Brook on Saturday, splitting the weekend with a win and a loss. “Overall, [the team] didn’t execute very well [Friday],” BU head coach Glenn Kiriyama said. “I didn’t feel comfortable at all even from the beginning. It was really nice to see them come back strong [on Saturday].” Binghamton and Hartford opened play with a back-and-forth first set, through which neither team led by more than three at any point. That rough equality expired in the waning moments, however, during which the Bearcats were
plagued by errors. The hosts committed four attack errors inside of the period’s last nine points and consequently dropped the set, 2725. “[We] didn’t get into a good rhythm,” Kiriyama said. “[We] didn’t control the ball well on our side and didn’t pass it well.” But Binghamton, quickly rebounding, wouldn’t allow the first set to determine the tone of the match. Aided by a multitude of Hawks errors, the Bearcats captured the second set, 25-22, and the third, 25-23. “I thought we played defense a little better,” Kiriyama said of his team’s play in those latter two sets. “We dug a few more balls in those games. We actually served a lot better in those games, too. And that really helps out our defense.” BU couldn’t sustain the momentum it built. The Bearcats committed seven kill errors and struggled to connect on passes in the fourth stanza, dropping the set, 25-22. And despite an early 7-3 lead in the pivotal fifth, BU squandered
its advantage and sealed its fate with a 15-11 set loss en route to losing the match, 3-2. “On our side we made way too many unforced errors,” Kiriyama said. “Whatever it is, hitting, serving wasn’t great those last two games. We just kind of shot ourselves in the foot there.” Come Saturday evening, the Bearcats’ play drastically improved against the Seawolves (11-9, 2-2 AE), despite missing one of their top performers, junior outside hitter Megan Burgess, to injury. Except for the third set, Binghamton controlled the game. After a hard-fought first set, which BU won, 27-25, the Bearcats captured the second set, 25-20. “It is always a good thing to be ahead, 2-0,” Kiriyama said. “They closed the game strong. It was good to see that. They stayed focused throughout there, even when they started coming back. It was huge to come out with those two games.” After a shaky third, in which the team posted a .000 hitting percentage in a 25-23 loss,
Binghamton closed out the Seawolves with a dominant 25-12 fourth-set victory to capture the game, 3-1. “I think we just fought harder today,” senior setter and team captain Amanda Dettmann said. “We knew that Stony Brook was top coming into this weekend. Especially after hearing that they lost yesterday kind of just fired it up. We knew we just had to give it our all.” Dettmann led BU throughout Saturday, consistently connecting on passes with sophomore outside hitter Allison Hovie and sophomore middle hitter Bianca Anderson. Hovie and Anderson each finished with 11 kills while Dettmann racked up 36 assists. “They were really loud today,” Dettmann said. “It was me knowing that I had to mix up the offense and play better than yesterday. It just kind of all worked.” Next up for Binghamton is a Sunday matchup against UMBC. First serve is set for 1 p.m. at the West Gym.
Franz Lino/Photo Editor and Emily Earl/Contibuting Photographer
The volleyball team hosted its first two home games of the 2014 season on Friday and Saturday against Hartford and Stony Brook, respectively.
BU Zoo hosts volleyball team in latest meet and greet Student group's quest to break barriers between student-athletes and fans makes progress Jeff Twitty & E.Jay Zarett
volleyball team has drawn crowds on the smaller side — but Friday was different. Thanks to the BU Zoo, Friday night, the Binghamton Binghamton University’s student volleyball team took the court at cheering section, the West Gym the West Gym to face Hartford for was packed and filled with positive its first home match of the 2014 energy throughout the evening. season. In previous years, the Though the Bearcats would lose Assistant Sports Editors
Friday’s match against Hartford, the BU Zoo would win the night, attributing to an attendance of 336. “Coming into this year we keep saying that the hype is real,” said Ben Sachs, BU Zoo co-president and a junior majoring in accounting. “People are just talking about the
Zoo. They know that school spirit exists. Because we have so much hype from last year, we are starting to build that into new traditions.” On Monday night, the volleyball team and some of its biggest supporters met for the first time at a meet and greet ice cream social,
Tamar Ashdot-Bari/Contributing Photographer
The BU Zoo hosted a meet and greet ice cream social event with the volleyball team on Monday night.
at which the team discussed the positive impacts the Zoo has had on the program. “It’s cool when you go to your home [court] and all these people support you,” senior captain and defensive specialist Alexa Zbytniewski said. ”When you go to other places they don’t have that. It’s awesome to be able to show off your school spirit. It has meant a lot. It was great to be welcome backed like that.” Hosting the event alongside Sachs was BU Zoo co-president Andrew Loso, a senior doublemajoring in history and Spanish. With Monday’s event being the third meet and greet event held by the group this semester, Loso is already noticing the effects on both the student body and the studentathletes. “You’ll get people who come to basketball games, you’ll get people who come to soccer games, [but] you’re not necessarily going to know the athletes,” Loso said. “But for these sports that don’t typically get a big spectator crowd, it’s great to get the team out. This basically is a great way to show that we’re trying to make a connection to more and more sports [programs] as we build ourselves.”
With most of the volleyball team in attendance, the event was well received by the players, who have already seen the club’s impact at the matches. “These past two games were amazing. I was so surprised by how many people came out — especially from the BU Zoo,” sophomore outside hitter Kelly Leach said. “It’s such a nice atmosphere, especially from last year.” For the future of the BU Zoo, Loso seemed hopeful for the expansion of the club and its contribution to the University going forward. “I would love to come back in 10 years and see a meet and greet with every team once a year or once a semester,” Loso said. “We have 21 Division I sports teams, but [it’s important] to make that connection to all these athletes to say and to let the students know that they’re working hard representing our University at a high level and you can come out and you can watch them.” For sophomore libero Bailey Walker, her hopes for what the BU Zoo can contribute to her team rang more immediate: “More fans!”
www.bupipedream.com | October 14, 2014
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SPORTS
BU TRIUMPHS OVER UNH IN 1-0 SHUTOUT
Michael Contegni/Staff Photographer and Emily Earl/Contibuting Photographer
Ladeairous fires game winner in 84th minute, preserves Binghamton's undefeated record in conference play Ashley Purdy Sports Editor
Picking up the strands of a dominant performance that garnered him an assist on his team’s game-winning goal last Saturday, Derrick Ladeairous scored a game winner of his own today. The senior defender fired a hard shot into the back of the net with 6:02 remaining in regulation, securing the Binghamton men’s soccer team (4-8-0, 2-0-0 America East) its second-consecutive conference victory this season. This time, the win was a 1-0 shutout of New Hampshire at the Bearcats Sports Complex. Whereas the first half – and most of the second – of Saturday afternoon’s matchup was characterized by generally equal scoring opportunities, stout defensive lines and unyielding goalkeepers for both UNH (4-6-
1, 0-2-0 AE) and BU, the last six minutes belonged to the hosts. Inciting an electricity that stifled the Wildcats’ last desperate attempts of the game, Ladeairous charged up the field and blasted a shot from just outside the box, sending the ball whizzing to the right of New Hampshire senior keeper Travis Worra in the 84th minute. “Alex [Varkatzas] was pulling back and it was a two versus one, I feel, and I had space, so I just chucked the ball as best as I could,” Ladeairous said of his first goal this season. Ladeairous, who played exclusively at right back last year, has adapted well to the adjustments required of him. With sophomore back Charlie Novoth now filling his old position, the 5-foot-11 versatile defender has spent more time playing up top in training. And having been a defenseman, he holds a unique advantage
playing that position. “I know how defenders don’t like to be played against, since I was a defender, and I try to play against them like that,” Ladeairous said. Above all, the Smithtown native displayed his flexibility and willingness to fill whatever role is required of him. “[Ladeairous has] always been very quick and deliberate when he attacks, even from the right back position,” BU head coach Paul Marco said. “So now we can play him at right back, we can play him at right mid, we can play him at attacking mid – he can even play as a holding midfielder. So he’s certainly a guy who we’re going to have to rely on a little bit to provide some of the stuff that he did today.” The 1-0 triumph was not only notable for Ladeairous, but for sophomore keeper Robert Moewes as well. The
shutout marks his second of the season and featured a particularly impressive save at the end of the first 45. With seven minutes to go in the half, Wildcats junior midfielder A.J. Albers sent a quick, airborne pass to classmate Jesus Tudela, who got his head under the ball to threaten a ruptured tie. But the 6-foot-3 goalie extended his arms just in time, deflecting the shot over the bar to preserve his shutout. Some new offensive strategies seemed to bear in the Bearcats’ favor, or at least to show promise for a team that suffered from a scoring drought for three weeks this season. Moewes exhibited his speed in turning the ball nearly instantaneously to the forwards up front, granting them an opportunity to create odd-man rushes with the Wildcats still crowded around the Bearcats goal.
The accelerated play seemed a bit over the Bearcats’ heads, however – more frequently than not, they ended up losing control of the ball and forcing it out of bounds in Wildcats territory. “It’s certainly part of Robert’s game, where he can counterattack quickly to when he catches the ball or the ball is in his possession,” Marco said. “I don’t think we did it terribly great today. I think that that’s an area we need to improve on, and it’s something we’ll take a look at.” Next up on the Bearcats’ schedule is a midweek contest against UMBC. In the two programs’ last meeting, BU and the Retrievers (5-4-2, 1-00 AE) posted a two-way shutout as former BU keeper Stefano Frantellizzi and his defense quelled the nation’s No. 7 team, who outshot the Bearcats, 16-6. This year, UMBC does not hold a
I know how defenders don't like to be played against, since I was a defender, and I try to play against them like that —Derrick Ladeairous Senior defender
top-10 ranking, in part because the team lost three of its potent strikers to graduation. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Retriever Soccer Park in Baltimore, Md.
Bearcats stifled by Stony Brook in 2-1 heartbreaker SBU goal netted with 2:36 remaining in second overtime consigns BU to second straight America East loss Jeff Twitty
Assistant Sports Editor Despite the Binghamton women’s soccer team’s valiant efforts at Stony Brook on Sunday — through which the team scored a 90th-minute goal to stay in contention and force overtime — an SBU score with 2:36 remaining in the second overtime period doomed the Bearcats (5-8-1, 1-21 America East) to their secondstraight conference loss. This season’s theme of missed opportunities continued to make itself evident in the shot advantage the Bearcats held: 2713. Sophomore midfielder Katie O’Neill and junior midfielder Katherine Corcoran spearheaded the effort, contributing 11 and eight shots, respectively, and combining for nine of the 11 shots on goal. “I think we played pretty well, really did a great job to come from behind,” BU head coach Sarah McClellan said. “I just think this game shows how close I think every conference game is going to be.” Binghamton displayed its offensive prowess from the get-go, tallying four shots in the opening nine minutes. By the half’s end,
BU held a 12-7 shot advantage, with eight belonging to O’Neill. However, the Bearcats — who tallied most of their shots from outside of the 18-yard box — struggled to convert, and both teams headed into the locker room with nothing to show for their efforts. The second 45 looked to be more of the same, with six consecutive missed shots by the Bearcats. But Stony Brook sophomore forward Leah Yurko broke through the stalemate, scoring in the 64th minute on the Seawolves’ first shot of the half. Looking to answer, Binghamton played a more conservative offensive game, tallying only three shots between the 64th and 90th minutes with four substitutions in that span. BU’s search for the perfect scoring opportunity was rewarded with 17 seconds remaining in regulation, when junior midfielder Rebecca Raber fired a shot from 30 yards out into the top corner of the net. The goal, which was her first of the season, tied the game, 1-1, and sent the teams into overtime. Through one scoreless first period and a slow opening to a second, it looked as if Binghamton’s defense would continue to block
the Seawolves and force a draw, especially after an early save by freshman keeper Katie Hatziyianis. On the offensive end, Corcoran peppered the Stony Brook goal with a pair of late shots, both of which were saved by senior keeper Ashley Castanio. But the Seawolves emerged victorious when junior Regan Bosnyak scored on a headed goal off of a cross in the 108th minute. Dropping to 0-2 on the road in conference play, with both games decided by just one goal in the final minutes, the Bearcats are seeing just how competitive the AE will be
in 2014. “These past two games being so close and on the road, it just goes to show how close the conference is going to be,” McClellan said. “Every game is going to be a battle on any day.” The next battle for the Bearcats is scheduled for Thursday, when they will host the second-
place Great Danes. Already four games through its eight-game conference slate, Binghamton will look to continue to improve against an Albany team that has thus far outscored its conference competition, 12-5. “I think we can be better in just about every area on the field,” McClellan said. “Heading in to a
week at home is going to be kind of a time for us to get our legs back and sleep in our own beds and play in a comfortable place, but also try to show and prove in every single area of the field.” Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Bearcats Sports Complex.
I just think this game shows how close ... every conference game is going to be —Sarah McClellan BU head coach
Dassie Hirschfield/Contributing Photographer
Junior midfielder Rebecca Raber scored her first goal of the season at the end of regulation on Sunday, forcing BU and SBU into overtime with a 1-1 tie.
SPORTS
BU ZOO
Students meet with volleyball team see page 18
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
SHOT BLOCKED
Bearcats hold 27-13 shot advantage, but fall to Stony Brook, 2-1, in double overtime, see page 19 for full story Franz Lino/Photo Editor