Leaving us in the dark Karl Bernhardsen is berning up The Editorial Board weighs in on the circumstances of Reed’s departure, see page 5
Binghamton University’s own alumnus has made it in local politics, see page 4
PIPE DREAM Monday, December 1, 2014 | Binghamton University | www.bupipedream.com | Vol. LXXXVI, Issue 23
Early housing sign-ups cause stress, anxiety
REED TAKES LEAVE
BU, city staff prepare for winter storms
ResLife reports an 11 percent increase in on-campus registration
Over 200 workers prepared to clear roads of snowfall, ice
Alexandra Mackof
Alexis Hatcher
In September, the University announced that it was moving the oncampus housing sign-up process from mid-March to mid-October. After the initial deadlines passed, Residential Life received mixed reviews from the student body about the change. Some students said they were unable to finalize their plans within the shortened time frame, which added panic to the process. “I dealt with the pains of finicky potential roommates, and found myself searching for housing long past that end of October deadlines,” said Matt Contino, a sophomore triple-majoring in anthropology, English and philosophy who will be living off-campus next year. While many returning students said that it was difficult to plan living arrangements so early, freshmen had to make plans while still adjusting to college life. “A lot can change in a few months, and later we may not want to live in the same community, with the same roommate or even on campus,” said Emily Sham, an undeclared freshman who will be living in Marcy next year. In addition to the new deadline,
With an average annual snowfall of over 80 inches, Binghamton University is the fifth snowiest university in the United States. Keeping the city and school safe and clear of snow is an operation that requires mass planning, as well as the cooperation of numerous departments on campus. About 50 to 100 members of the BU grounds and custodial staff can be involved in cleanup after a typical snow storm. In extreme cases, such as heavier or midday storms, this number can reach up to 230 workers in order to clear the 6.3 miles of roads, 23 miles of walkways and 35 acres of parking lots, along with the 3.5 miles of service drives and four athletic fields. The grounds crew begins this process when there is half an inch of snow accumulation with snow plows, brush trucks and snow blowers, according to the Physical Facilities snow storm procedures and Karen Fennie, communications director of Physical Facilities. “A lot of it has to do with exactly what is coming and what is the timing,” said Chief of Police Timothy Faughnan. “The most difficult situations are when we have information that there is a storm coming at a really critical time, and usually the most critical time is during a morning or afternoon commute.” Faughnan said that BU remains in close contact with the national weather service when making its decision to cancel classes. It is ultimately left up to President Harvey Stenger, and is often finalized in a 4 a.m. conference call, according to Donald Nieman, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. Off-campus students must be taken into account when the decision is made to cancel classes, according to Faughnan. “If you live on campus, you can safely walk to the dining hall or to your class,” Faughnan said. “But off campus the road crews are still struggling to get the roads cleared.” According to Off Campus College Transport (OCCT) Public Relations Coordinator Tim Redband, bus service typically continues if classes are still in session. If the classes are cancelled in the morning, service will usually be cancelled for that day. Service continues for two hours following a midday
Assistant News Editor
See RESLIFE Page 2
Contributing Writer
Michael Contegni/Pipe Dream Staff Photographer
Pictured: Junior guard Jordan Reed and coach Tommy Dempsey sit in the media room. Reed announced in an official statement through the University’s athletics department that he would be taking an indefinite leave of absence from the basketball team.
Men's basketball star leaves team for "personal reasons" Ashley Purdy
The official statement, released in an email sent at 5:11 p.m., reads: “Junior Jordan Reed is taking an indefinite leave Former junior guard Jordan Reed of absence from the men’s basketball is taking an indefinite leave of absence program for personal reasons, effective from the Binghamton men’s basketball immediately.” program, the University’s athletics No further explanation was given, and department announced Wednesday night. the department said that there would be Sports Editor
With revamped facility, BU explores new ways to teach
Perfectly Suited Professional Clothing Drive collects over 500 garments Staff Writer
Ben Grobe/Contributing Photographer
Center for Learning and Teaching offers workshops, seminars for profs. Carla Sinclair
Assistant News Editor The expansions and additions happening at Binghamton University aren’t limited to building dorms and classrooms — the way students learn within those walls is also getting a makeover. The new Center for Learning and Teaching (CLT) opened this semester in Library North. The CLT features the latest technology, dry-erase walls and workshops and seminars aimed at helping professors become better teachers.
Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Donald Nieman said the CLT’s purpose is to be a catalyst for new approaches to teaching, improving the student learning experience. “The driving force behind classroom design and experimentation [is] new learning technology,” Nieman said. “And a place that supports faculty members who wish to try new approaches in the classroom.” The Center as an entity has existed for more than a decade, but according to Nieman, lacked the resources to
See CLT Page 2
See REED Page 7
Clothing drive helps those in need suit-up for interviews Habin Kwak
Pictured: Center for Learning and Teaching. The new CLT opened this semester, designed to improve students’ learning experiences with technological upgrades such as improved classrooms and spaces.
no further communication on the matter at this time. Reed could not be reached for comment. The news is unsettling for any fan of the program. Reed has been the face of
Binghamton University is normally focused on preparing students for future careers, but before the Thanksgiving break administrators had a different focus: employing members of the local community. From Nov. 17 to 24, students and faculty donated 68 bags of professional dress and approximately 500 articles of clothing through Perfectly Suited, a clothing drive organized by BU’s Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) which teamed up with the Binghamton YWCA. A charity program that was engineered by the Binghamton YWCA over 10 years ago, Perfectly Suited was shut down in 2011 due to flood damage and reopened this year. It provides low-income men and women with professional clothing for job interviews, which they might not be able to get on their own. Theresa Bovier, a vocational and educational counselor at the YWCA, said that the clothing drive was essentially a revival of the program that began over a decade ago. “Perfectly Suited has been around since 2002, but we never had the place for it,” Bovier said. “We were going to have a grand opening the very day Binghamton was shut down by the flood in 2011. This was something in the back of our head
that we always wanted to do, and then Nava came and she jumped right on it; she took it and ran with it.” The Perfectly Suited Professional Clothing Drive was restarted by Nava Jacknis, a senior majoring in human development. As her practicum, Jacknis decided to reopen the program in the YWCA, where she works as an intern, to gain more experience working directly with people. “I thought it would be a really good idea to connect the campus to the community,” Jacknis said. “I thought it would be great if we could get people on campus involved in donating their clothes. So, I had a graphic designer friend of mine create a logo and I put it on a flier that I advertised around campus.” Though she collaborated with Bovier and with Allison Alden, director of the CCE, Jacknis was responsible for most of the drive’s organization and maintenance. “This is the kind of thing that any student can do,” Alden said. “Here is one person, Nava, one person who is going to make a huge difference in the lives of the people who go to the YWCA to get this clothing.” In addition to organizing the drive, Jacknis purchased all the collection bins, gathered the clothes from them daily,
See DRIVE Page 2
. . . on campus, you can safely walk to the dining hall. . . but off campus the road crews are still struggling — Timothy Faughnan Chief of Police
See SNOW Page 2
2
NEWS
www.bupipedream.com | December 1, 2014
Campus food pantry University, city plan for winter's worst fills students' shelves Bear Necessities provides food, personal care items Haley Silverstein Contributing Writer
For most students, getting fed is as easy as loading a tray at the dining hall and swiping their ID card to pay for it. But for some, finding their next meal can pose a serious challenge. Fortunately, the Dean of Students (DOS) office has a program to help. Bear Necessities, an on-campus food pantry at Binghamton University, provides students with food and personal care items at no cost. “We’ve noticed that food insecurity amongst our students is on the rise,” said Jazell Johnson, program coordinator for the (DOS) office. “If you look online, you will see that a lot of food banks and pantries have begun to pop up around college and university campuses.” The pantry is available to all BU students, both on and off campus. According to Johnson, students use the pantry for a variety of reasons — some come from families with economic hardships, some have lost a job and must allocate their money to rent and others may have run out of money on their meal plan too early in the semester. Some students who use the pantry, however, have a meal plan and do not need to worry about food. Instead, it is personal hygiene items and detergent that they need. For them, Bear Necessities provides shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes. The pantry is located in the DOS office on the second floor of the New University Union and is open Monday through Friday. Previously located in the Financial Aid office, the pantry moved to its new location in July because the DOS had extra space to provide additional supplies. It now has a greater variety of foods, including gluten-free items. When students visit the pantry, graduate assistants write down their BU ID number and then step out of the room to give them privacy.
The DOS asks for feedback on the types of items the students would like to see, but does not ask for any additional information from the students. According to Sarah Connelly, a graduate assistant in the DOS office, the ID number is not linked to the students’ identity. They record the numbers to see how many students use the pantry and how frequently. The DOS would not disclose those statistics. “If we notice that students are utilizing our pantries a couple times a week, we pull them in and they’ll meet with one of the case managers,” Johnson said. In addition to financial problems, Johnson said students using the pantry may be facing a variety of issues such as illness, academic difficulties and family troubles. Through optional meetings, case managers get a comprehensive understanding of student needs and can connect them with other resources on campus, such as the counseling center. “Our office is a lot more than our food pantry,” Johnson said. “We have a lot of other offices and services [to] give us insight to what our students are dealing with.” Bear Necessities has worked with BU Dining Services and Parking Services to hold its first food drive this semester. According to Johnson, faculty and staff have been supportive of the pantry and the program receives at least a couple donations a week. According to Connelly, the pantry already has a surplus of food. Johnson said she sees Bear Necessities as the foundation that many students need in the competitive college environment. “I think that providing these resources to students helps them at least start the race,” Johnson said. “Their peers are ahead of them and we are expecting all of our students to perform well. If they can’t even start the race, we’re doing them a disservice.”
BU teams up with YWCA for career clothing drive DRIVE continued from Page 1 cataloged the items and promoted the cause on social media. The event was promoted on B-line and donation bins were placed in the CCE, Twin River Commons and the University Downtown Center. People could also contact Jacknis directly if they wanted to donate in bulk. According to Jacknis, the majority of the donations were provided by University faculty members. These included suit jackets, ties, dress shoes, skirts, pants and blouses. “The most active people in the drive it seems, at least for the large donations, have been professors,” Jacknis said. “I actually had a
professor who was one of my first teachers here and she emailed me saying she had a lot of donations. So it’s been really great; my professors have been really nice about supporting me through the process.” Despite the contributions of several faculty members constituting the majority of donations, the drive still saw many students donate and support the cause as well. “I think it’s an awesome opportunity for BU students to get involved with the community,” said Stephanie Wayte, a junior majoring in English. “A simple act of donating some clothes could make a world of a difference in someone else’s life.”
Corey Futterman/Design Assistant
SNOW continued from Page 1 cancellation. In the event of a route change, OCCT posts it on its website, Facebook page and Twitter. “There may be circumstances that routes need to detour during a snow storm if the roads become impassable,” Redband wrote in an email.
Members of the Binghamton Department of Public Works target hilly areas first, along with primary and emergency roads. Clearing these areas can take around four hours, said Jonathan Yeager, the deputy commissioner for the Binghamton Department of Public Works. There are 25-35 people
from the street division and the public works department of the city of Binghamton that can respond to a storm, as well as a 20-person extra response team for night operations to alleviate the sanitation and street workers. In the event of an unusually heavy snowfall, the snow removal volunteer program
can be of assistance, calling on BU Physical Facilities staff who volunteered to help in severe cases. “The biggest challenge is manpower — being able to rotate people enough so that we can give them a significant amount of rest,” Yeager said. “That’s a challenge, but we get it done.”
Center given new tech, look to improve teaching CLT continued from Page 1 make an impact. However, it has been given new life with investments from President Harvey Stenger’s “Road Map to Success” under Strategic Priority Two, which focuses on creating a “transformative learning environment” that prepares students for the real world. Part of this reinvigoration was hiring mechanical engineering professor James Pitarresi as the executive director of the CLT, as well as a staff of “instructional designers” to work on teaching methods. Pitarresi said the Center was reworked to help keep BU’s professors in the know about the latest teaching methods and technological advancements in pedagogy. “It can be overwhelming for
instructors to stay abreast of new developments [in learning and teaching],” Pitarresi wrote in an email. “The CLT meets this need by providing information and support to our learning community on what works and how to best implement proven techniques and approaches in our courses.” The CLT offers programs focused on implementing improved teaching methods. This includes working with University Tutoring Services (UTS), helping professors incorporate technology into the classroom and workshops teaching professors new methods of instruction. One of these workshops offered to faculty is “flipped learning,” which is held in conjunction with the Graduate Student Organization. “Flipped learning” introduces the idea
of lectures, usually held in class, being recorded as videos and assigned as homework, providing more time for handson projects in class. “The ‘Flip Your Class’ workshops are my favorite,” Pitarresi wrote. “The instructors typically enjoy the hands-on interactive nature of the workshop and they quickly see the value of using it in their classroom.” Working with UTS, the CLT monitors the demand for tutoring in a certain subject, which can lead to re-evaluating the course. “This gives us an ‘early alert’ that we communicate with departments if we see a sudden demand for tutoring in a course or section,” Pitarresi wrote. “This can result in the instructor adjusting their course to improve student
learning.” The CLT has a classroom, called the “Learning Studio” which features projectors, screens, movable furniture and walls painted with a material that allows instructors, and students, to write on them. The CLT also works with businesses such as Pearson, Apple, Cisco and Pearson Publishing to stay abreast of new technological advances. Nieman said the CLT is playing a fundamental role in the plans for the future of the University. “Our Road Map strategic plan challenges us to provide students a ‘transformative learning community,’” Nieman said. “The CLT is a key resource that will help us better serve students and offer them a truly transformative learning experience.”
Online housing system allows for changes into spring RESLIFE continued from Page 1 ResLife waived the $200 deposit fee and set up a new system allowing students to manually rearrange their housing choices. Students who have signed up for on-campus housing can continue to switch their rooms and living communities into the spring. Alex Liu, president of the Student Association and a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said that it is too early to judge whether the new policy is beneficial. But he added that ResLife’s change to let students alter their arrangements into the spring semester is crucial to easing the transition. “Moving forward, the success or failure of the change will depend on ResLife’s ability to honor its commitment to flexibility and accommodation,” Liu said. According to Paola Mignone, the associate director of business affairs for ResLife, students responded positively to the extension to switch rooms and roommates and many liked having the ability to make those changes online. Mignone also said that
the University reported an 11 percent increase in student demand for housing from last year. All 153 of the newly created singles for upperclassmen are taken, but there are spaces available for students in Hillside, Collegein-the-Woods, Newing and Hinman for those who forgot to sign up or would like to change their arrangements. There have been some cancellations, which according to Mignone were primarily from students who were transferring. Students who cancel have to pay a $200 charge. “We are currently near capacity and have students still expressing interest in living on campus,” Mignone wrote in an email. “We hope that this fee helped to ensure that students who went through the housing process were serious about living on campus.” Some students, though, said that the online sign-up system added extra confusion to the process. When trying to log in, Dominica Wolinski said she and her friends would frequently experience delays, only to have the site be unavailable. “It was scary that every
30 seconds the system would crash,” said Wolinski, a sophomore majoring in finance. “It needs to be able to handle all of the different students trying to log in at once.” Others said that they would select a room, only to find out that someone else had taken it earlier. “It almost felt like a game because you don’t actually know whether or not you’re fighting with someone else for the same room,” Sham said. The deadline change was met with a spike in demand for off-campus housing as well. 20 Hawley, a student-housing complex located Downtown, was 39 percent booked at the end of November 2013 but over 63 percent booked before this Thanksgiving break. Nick Tzavis, the general manager at Twin River Commons, said that they also noticed drastic changes from previous years. “This year we saw an unprecedented amount of leasing activity,” Tzavis said. “What we’re not sure of is if it was just due to an increase in demand for off-campus housing, or if it was directly
caused by the deadline.” According to Mignone, although students have mixed feelings about the earlier deadline, the change was an overall success. She said that aligning the on-campus deadline with off-campus lease signing streamlined the process. “Some students like the fall timeline, but as we know, some students want the process to happen in the spring,” Mignone wrote. “The fall process has gone well though, and we believe that we made the right decision for our students.”
. . .the success or failure of the change will depnd on ResLife's ability to honor its commitment — Alex Liu SA President
RELEASE Arts & Culture
From SA E-Board to county legislature Binghamton alum Karl Bernhardsen just won his first local election Samuel Titus | Contributing Writer Most students don’t get involved in Broome County politics, but one recent graduate is shining brightly. Elected just weeks ago and representing District 13 (Binghamton’s West Side and First Ward), BU alumnus Karl Bernhardsen (‘14) stepped up to the plate as one of 15 county legislators. Determined to provide the city he loves with better constituent communication, improve blighted properties and increase public safety, the 24-year-old Republican shared his campaign experience and his thoughts on how individuals can get more involved with local politics. The first step to becoming a political candidate is collecting 200 signatures for a petition to get on the ballot. It took Bernhardsen about a month of going door-to-door. “It seems easy,” he said. “But you have to go to their house, they have to be willing to talk to you, and much of the time they’ll be reluctant to sign anything.” Bernhardsen campaigned mostly by himself with the help of a few close friends. More established candidates usually have teams of people who comb the county for signatures, securing their spot in the race fairly quickly. He started seriously going door-to-door at the start of September. “Once on the ballot, there’s no real way off it unless you die or commit a felony,” Bernhardsen said. For Bernhardsen, going door-to-door was not just about gaining the required signatures, but also about meeting voters, introducing himself to the people he wished to serve and understanding their collective concerns. Even after receiving the letter in the mail officially confirming his spot on the ballot, he continued to go door-to-door to speak with potential constituents, spending a few hours almost every day moving down his list of registered voters. Sometimes such visits went well, and sometimes they didn’t. One afternoon, he was bitten by a dog while on his door to-door route. Fortunately for Bernhardsen, all of
the hard work paid off on Nov. 4 when he took approximately 58 percent of the vote to defeat the Democratic incumbent, Tony Fiala Jr. On Oct. 10, Fiala pleaded guilty in Binghamton City Court to a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated after a hit-and-run incident involving a bicyclist. While unfortunate, the charge against Fiala may have given Bernhardsen the extra support he needed. Bernhardson credits his extracurricular activities at the University for having fostered his managerial and communication skills. “I was pretty heavily involved in the Student Association,” he said. “I guess that’s where I got my first real taste for politics.” Bernhardsen served on the Student Assembly (now Student Congress) from his freshman to junior year, and was elected as the vice president for finance for the 2011 to 2012 academic year. “Through that, I learned a lot about running a large organization,” Bernhardsen said. “When I was in that position, my main focus was helping out student groups and students as best I could and because of that kind of work, I feel like I already have a lot of practice in constituent services. The issues are different but the skills are the same.” Bernhardsen also served as the director of OCCT, BU’s off-campus transportation. He attended many city council and county legislature meetings in order to have a better understanding of the community in which his bus system was operating. He believes his experience in these positions helped him to develop the skills he needed to get elected and serve Broome County as an effective legislator. For college students, Bernhardsen recommends pursuing available positions in clubs and extracurricular activities in order to improve interpersonal and leadership skills. For the more politically inclined and for those interested in improving their community, Bernhardsen encourages students to work as volunteers and to do everything possible to observe what’s happening in local government. “If you want to get involved on any level, the best thing you can do is start
Paul Nguyen/Contributing Photographer
showing up to meetings,” he said. “If you have any interest in getting involved in local politics, you’ll probably be able to find a website with a calendar and list of meeting times open to the public. That’s what I did. I just started showing up and
talking to people.” Beginning his two-year term on Jan. 1, Bernhardsen is excited to start serving Broome County to the best of his ability. Though many students have plans to move away from Binghamton after
concluding their studies, the well-being of the city means a lot to citizens like Bernhardsen. “This is my home,” he said. “I’ve lived in Broome County the majority of my life, and I really do care about it.”
Black Friday midnight shopping: a warrior's tale Retail's strongest defender spins a story of bloodshed and hardship in the battlefield Odeya Pinkus | Assistant Release Editor Ernest Hemingway once said, “Once we have a war there is only one thing to do. It must be won.” For me, war had begun: against mediocre sales in mediocre clothing stores. The danger that I faced became imminent as Black Friday crept closer and closer. I had been preparing for this day all year, ever since I lost the battle of 2013 — I only bought one sweater, and at full price. I’m not usually melodramatic, but I let down my entire ancestry, and I had to avenge my family’s honor. I finished my Thanksgiving feast and headed out into the wild. I prepared myself for my Bat Mitzvah of capitalism, but all the while, I wondered if I had what it took to pass this rite. My parents sat me down to give me one last piece of advice before I went off on my own. “Buy a goddamn winter coat for school,”
my mom yelled to me as I left my home, scared but ready. She hugged me one last time. My 8-year-old sister looked up at me and asked if she could come. “No, young one,” I told her. “You must first wear the skin of a slain sales associate. Then you will be ready.” My dad handed me his keys and said, “Keep safe, son.” I shook my head, knowing that he never really got used to having daughter. I went to gather my army consisting of friends from high school. A cunning and able-bodied team was necessary, but they would do. We walked into the mall at 11 p.m. with the swagger of someone holding a fresh coupon book. Where to go first? Cotton On? Forever 21? H&M? That one store with prom dresses that always smells weird? The mall was my oyster, and I would find the pearl. Perhaps one of the most daunting things about hitting up your local mall is seeing everyone who ever graced the halls
of your high school. “We won’t see anyone we know,” my friend said as we waved hello to the entire 2012 varsity lacrosse team. Go Wildcats. Our first stop was Target, and we obviously went straight for the DVDs. $19.99 for “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Is this a goddamn joke? I can torrent this shit. I walked right past the “Frozen” dolls and headed straight for the exit. I picked up my binoculars and looked for my friends among the three-mile line. I gathered them and we left, hoping to find luck elsewhere. At our next stop, American Eagle, we were greeted with a pun and a despondent seasonal associate. “YULE LOVE OUR SALES.” I looked at the sad worker and saw the pain in her eyes. I knew she’d be dealing with people like me until 4 a.m. I had to look away in shame. After searching for an hour, we needed to refuel. We could never commit to the food court, and the smell of Pretzel Time called to us. We sat on a bench for our supper, and in that moment, I saw God in the cheese sauce,
and he told me it would be okay. It was 12 a.m. and I still hadn’t bought anything. We entered f.y.e. and were 20 steps in when we realized how saturated with Brony merch this store had become. We galloped away, wondering when f.y.e. went off the deep end. I was scared. Tired. Cold. The pretzel was giving me heartburn. Suddenly, among the determined crowds, I saw a beacon of hope. Buy one, get one half off at Pacsun? The rapture was here, and I was ready to go. Among the racks I saw a $40 shawl and a $30 shirt. My total was $48. And while that was cheaper than advertised, I genuinely didn’t care to ask why. I left with heavy bags and a light heart. I made my family proud. The music from “Rocky” played as I walked out of the mall. It was weird that they did that, but I was into it. Then the music changed and “Don’t You Forget About Me” from “The Breakfast Club” played. My friends and I lifted our fists in the air Judd Nelson-style. I took my chariot home, ready
to show my parents my spoils. I’m not going to say I was a Black Friday MVP, but I’m also not going to say I wasn’t. I’ll leave that for you to decide.
We walked into the mall at 11 p.m. with the swagger of someone holding a fresh coupon book.
OPINION Monday, December 1, 2014
Don't Box Us Out
O
n Wednesday, the Binghamton University athletics department announced that junior guard Jordan Reed, the face of the men’s basketball team for the last two years, would be taking an indefinite leave of absence, effective immediately. The explanation given for last season’s leading scorer and rebounder’s sudden departure was uninformative: “personal reasons.” No other cause was given. This is far too vague. While we respect Reed’s right to privacy, fans of the program have the right to know more about what is going on. We don’t need a press conference full of lengthy explanations, but if Reed’s departure is due to family matters, a fallingout between him and head coach Tommy Dempsey, an academic issue or any other problem, more should be said than simply chalking it up to “personal reasons.” This is not the only time the athletics department has claimed “personal reasons” for a star athlete’s departure. Earlier this year, junior keeper Stefano Frantellizzi quit the men’s soccer team mid-season, for personal reasons. Like Reed, he entered 2014 coming
off a prolific season, ranking top-20 in the nation in three categories. Like Reed, he saw few minutes in this year’s season. But in Frantellizzi’s case, head coach Paul Marco commented on the matter. Marco spoke up and said that he supported Frantellizzi’s decision. Though not much of an account was given, and no one acknowledged any discontent on Frantellizzi’s behalf for his truncated role, Marco at least addressed the matter in a small way. Dempsey has mainly avoided questions concerning Reed. When asked about Reed’s underwhelming presence on the court in press conferences, Dempsey said he was playing the guys who earned their minutes, and that Reed was in a bad place mentally. But when dealing with a player like Reed, who is arguably responsible for the program’s rejuvenation and for the renewed energy
surrounding the team, that’s not enough. We the fans should not be strung along in the dark. If Reed is truly leaving, then we deserve closure. This call for transparency is especially sensitive in light of the men’s basketball program’s recent history, namely the 2009 scandal under former head coach Kevin Broadus. In that year, five players were suspended from the team for a variety of misconduct reasons. While there is no reason to believe that Reed’s leave of absence is a systemic issue like it was under Broadus, who recruited at-risk athletes in his pursuit of immediate gain, the fanbase should be reassured that this instance is just that: a lone instance. Mid-major programs like Binghamton’s obviously do not attract the same kind of attention — in media or in terms of a fanbase
— as national staples like Duke or Florida. But that does not mean that the coaches are any less accountable to the fans they do have. If a player like Reed is to leave the program after being stripped of his status as starter and after averaging a mere 10.6 minutes per game, the fans deserve an answer. This wouldn’t happen at Syracuse, and it shouldn’t happen here. Reed and Dempsey may want to keep silent if they are working to reconcile a potential conflict, but the process shouldn’t work this way. If the University wants its sports teams to be taken seriously by fans, then the secrecy of the past must be cast aside. Jordan Reed’s absence will hurt the team, but not as badly as an empty Events Center will. And unless the athletics department holds itself accountable to its fans, they won’t feel obligated to show up.
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.
Sex in the Triple Cities
Find fuel for fornication
Holiday favorites can hinder sexual performance Mike Rulli Sex Columnist
‘Tis the season for big dinners with friends and family. If you’re lucky, maybe a significant other sits by your side while your family criticizes the choices you’ve made in school (let’s just say my family wasn’t too pleased with my decision to become a sex columnist). While you’re filling up your plates with turkey and gravy and butter, just keep in mind what all that food will do to your sex life. If you think your date will be down for sex after consuming a stockpile of food, you’ve found a keeper. For everyone else, here are the do’s and don’ts of pre-intercourse dining. Some of the holiday classics that we all crave yearlong are our worst enemies in bed. When I think of the holiday dinner table I picture ham, mashed potatoes, gravy and brussels sprouts covered in bacon. Unless you want to feel bloated and sweaty during intercourse, steer clear. For example, mashed potatoes slathered in gravy sit heavy in the intestinal tract. If you’re lactose intolerant
like me, too much dairy will cause indigestion and leave you gassy. In the bedroom, gassy is not a desirable feeling. Unless it is, in which case, do your thing, but please keep it to yourself. Even lighter holiday fare can kill the vibe. On a holiday evening, dinner table vegetables should be avoided if you want to get lucky. Vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts and cauliflower are all known to release methane when broken down. When there’s methane, there’s gas. I can’t tell you what ruins a mood more than a few stinky toots. On the bright side, sweet potatoes are one of my favorite holiday vegetables. They’re great for balancing blood pressure and key to combating erectile dysfunction. So if all else fails, plop a few extra sweet potatoes on your plate and see what happens later. The main course, turkey, isn’t as bad as you think, either. A good, lean protein allows you to keep up your strength and stamina. Just don’t have too much, because the last thing you want is to find yourself tripped up by tryptophan, leaving you sluggish and most definitely not at your best. Now who doesn’t love a good
glass of wine or maybe a sweet fall harvest beer to accompany the meal? I know I do, but too much alcohol is one of the worst things to consume before sex. Too much alcohol leaves your body less sensitive to touch. Some say it even weakens orgasms. Alcohol leaves you feeling sleepy as well, so unless you plan on sleeping on your partner, limit your drinks to one or two. Drink a lot of water instead. Staying hydrated leaves you mentally and physically alert and rearing to go. You need that extra water to secrete those sexual fluids essential to bedroom play. The holidays are the perfect opportunity to eat, veg out and be with the ones you love. If you want to have sex during this magical time, then there are quite a few items you’re going to want to cut out of your diet. Personally, I recommend you fill your plate with as many buttery dishes as you desire, cover everything with gravy and drink as much wine as you want. There’s always the day after the holiday for sex. But holidays only come once a year, so enjoy the food while it lasts. — Mike Rulli is a senior majoring in english
Capitalism and feminism don't mix Activists must reclaim movement hijacked by corporations Lauren Young Contributing Columnist
On Nov. 15, Leslie Feinberg, a feminist activist defined by her radical intersectional work regarding racism, transgenderism, lesbianism and working-class ideologies, passed away in Syracuse, New York. Her last words, “Remember me as a revolutionary communist,” further hammered the nail into the anti-capitalist coffin that seems to have been left for dead by the modern feminist community. Capitalism is a political “Pretty Woman,” dressing up economic inequalities, prostituting them into faux liberation and justice. With economic power comes individual liberation, or at least that’s what the weekly Cosmopolitan magazine says about dismantling the patriarchy with Walmart lipstick. This is the beauty of capitalistic feminism. Under this ideology, individual choice trumps class analysis. Feminism is sold like sex rather than a political movement. A political movement with the primary goal of dismantling is incompatible with capitalist advertising. Somehow corporate interests managed to merge these divergent ideologies and reshape feminist thought. Commercialism successfully waters down women’s
liberation into a diluted narrative of individual liberation instead of a class analysis. Altering its main priorities from politics of redistribution to identity politics, modern feminism fails to stab capitalism where its heart lies. The restructuring of feminist ideology to ignore economic disenfranchisement is especially unfortunate because patriarchy and capitalism are inextricably linked. Structural sexism is molded comfortably into the foundation of our capitalistic economy. The commodification of women’s labor is unequal because of the power hierarchy between men and women. Since capitalism and patriarchy are linked at the core, a battle between fiscal conservatism and feminism is predestined. Class analysis is necessary to understand the oppressive nature of capitalism. Modern feminism seems to allow individualism to trump discussions of classism. Such rhetoric teaches individuals to believe that if certain forms of oppression don’t apply to them, they do not affect anyone. The exacerbation of sexism and oppression in capitalism is not just a coincidence; it’s a side effect. The system of capitalism inevitably operates against underrepresented minorities. This results in a structurally disadvantaged system plagued by white male elites. Government policies that advocate for corporate power and less government spending cut social programs and widen the pay gap.
Feminism is sold like sex rather than a political movement Yet, the existence of big government also harms the welfare of singleparent families, minorities, the disabled and the poor, which are predominately composed of women. Under the scope of capitalism, feminism has been molded into a watered-down catchphrase and sexualized marketing tool to lure women into buying cheap faux liberation. The economic pressures imposed by capitalism are not questioned by feminist thought. Women are continually harmed by economic oppression through forced labor, low wages, unequal opportunities and discrimination. Despite these disadvantages, feminist rhetoric fails to emphasize these underlying structural problems. Feminists can no longer allow corporate interests to shape the conversation. Capitalistic corporations do not care to deconstruct the foundation upon which they are built; they wish only to reinforce it. — Lauren Young is a sophomore double majroing in psychology and philosophy
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Silence surrounds Reed's departure REED continued from Page 1 the Binghamton men’s basketball team since he joined the program two years ago. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was voted to the Preseason AllConference Team the past two years, and led the conference in rebounding his freshman and sophomore years. He led the team in scoring — with 15.4 points per game — and rebounding — with 8.9 per game — last season, en route to a Second-Team AllConference selection. But for all that, BU head coach Tommy Dempsey hasn’t had much to say about the situation. When asked about the announcement in a press conference on Friday, Dempsey refused to provide any additional context, deferring to the athletics department’s statement. The announcement didn’t come out of the blue, however. Reed sat out Tuesday night’s game against Army after missing the morning shoot-around. He has played sparingly since the team’s season opener against Notre Dame on Nov. 14, coming off the bench and averaging just 10.6 minutes a game through five contests. The only explanation Dempsey gave for his star player seeing so uncharacteristically few minutes was that Reed “is not in a good place mentally,” said in a press conference on Nov. 24. Before heading to Uncasville, Connecticut for the Mohegan Sun Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament games, Dempsey said he was only playing those who earned their minutes in practice — implying that Reed was not.
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December 1, 2014 | www.bupipedream.com
This is not the first incident that has seen Reed alienated from the program and from Dempsey. Last season, Reed was pulled 10 minutes into Binghamton’s Jan. 15 matchup with Stony Brook and never came back in. Dempsey explained that Reed hadn’t come out to a good start — the then-sophomore had shot 0 for 4 and turned over the ball three times in under 10 minutes. The head coach added that Reed hadn’t prepared well in the preceding practices, and that he wanted to see what the team looked like without its star. That, and Reed was apparently playing selfishly and without much effort. According to an article on onebidwonders.com, after this benching, Reed and Dempsey met to discuss Reed’s future with Binghamton. Dempsey is quoted as saying that if Reed wanted to stay, then he would have to meet the expectations Dempsey laid out. If not, then Dempsey would sign Reed’s release papers and he could transfer. Given time to make his decision, Reed served a one-game suspension in the following contest against Albany. He was left on campus on Jan. 19 while the team made the trek upstate for the next day’s game. Obviously, Reed’s decision was to stay. Dempsey lifted the suspension and Reed went on in the season to produce his most prolific scoring performances — eclipsing the 30-point mark in back-to-back contests to end his sophomore campaign. During the preseason, on Oct. 30, Reed told Pipe Dream that what brought him to Binghamton — and what kept
him here — was “playing time.” “I knew I was going to come here right away and have all I have now,” Reed continuted. “That’s basically it. And just me having this much time to myself, and now with the confidence and the teammates that I have now, to get [2009’s success] back is what makes me stay and what made me stay back in the day.” He added that what drove him through his freshman year was making people aware of the higher caliber at which he plays, of the talent that lent to his playing so many minutes so early in a mid-major program. “I still kind of do that, especially when I play with teams … like Syracuse, teams like Michigan I played my freshman year — the other guys that are there, there’s no difference between me and them,” Reed said. “I just chose here because of the outstanding circumstances that were provided here. For example, me starting from a freshman and the possibility of putting this town back on a map. And I’m all about Binghamton and creating some excitement for this town.” But if the outstanding circumstances are what drove Reed here, then with his minutes truncated and a large question mark now surrounding his name, Binghamton may have lost its appeal. So things are different than last year. Reed wasn’t suspended — he’s taken a leave of absence. Whether it relates to his playing time and to snuffed expectations on his behalf is just speculation. What is apparent, however, is that he hasn’t quit the team. At least, not yet.
Wrestling faces four over weekend Deuel tallies three wins in Northeast Duals Jeff Twitty
Assistant Sports Editor The Binghamton wrestling team competed in its second tournament in a week’s span on Saturday, suiting up for the Northeast Duals sponsored by ASICS. Hosted at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, New York, the Bearcats (1-4) rolled around with No. 22 Purdue, Northern Illinois, LIU Post and Wyoming. Despite going 1-3 on the day, BU head coach Matt Dernlan believes that putting his team in the hot seat early will pay dividends later this winter season. “We thought it was really necessary in the first month of this season to put the guys in the fire per sé,” Dernlan said. “We knew against the three teams that we lost to this weekend, they were very senior-driven teams. They’re experienced, [and] they’ve been in a lot of big moments before.” Binghamton opened the day with a 25-7 loss to the 22nd ranked Boilermakers (41). While Binghamton sported winners in 17th-ranked senior heavyweight Tyler Deuel — who posted a 13-0 major decision over Purdue’s Tyler Kral — and freshman Thierno Diallo at the 125-spot, no other Bearcat would have his arm raised over Purdue in the dual’s 10 matches. Late in the match, 174-pound freshman Steve Schenider and 184-pound junior Jack McKeever would drop matches back-to-back by one point — two losses that Dernlan feel capture his team’s room for growth.
“Our young guys competed very, very hard,” Dernlan said. “But I think what our young guys need to learn how to do is figure out how to turn those tables and win those one-point matches. And that’s part of the process with having a bunch of guys being in the starting lineup being freshman or sophomores.” Facing NIU (7-5) on the mat next, BU would see more individual success as the team nearly doubled its previous point total in the 27-13 loss against the Huskies. Sophomore Zack Zupan recorded the first fall for BU, pinning Northern Illinois sophomore Shaun’Qae McMurtry in 2:18 for the win at the 165-slot. McKeever took a win by decision, 6-0, over freshman Quinton Rosser for his first victory of the day. Deuel continued to defend his national ranking, winning by a 10-0 major decision in his second match of the day against junior Arthur Bunce. “We saw very good effort,” Dernlan said of his star wrestler. “Of course Tyler Deuel continues to wrestle well and lead the team. He probably set the tone for us all day long.” In its third match, Binghamton throttled LIU Post (1-2) to the ring of 44-0. Every BU starter won his match, highlighted by a pair of pins from Zupan and Schneider at the 165- and 175-pound classes, respectively. McKeever also recorded a win by technical fall (18-0) against his opponent, while Deuel continued his hot streak with a win by forfeit in the heavyweight class.
But the tables turned against Wyoming (3-2) in BU’s final match of the day. Dropping the dual, 33-0, the Bearcats were unable to generate any team points against the Cowboys, who were ranked 24th in the national preseason poll. On the individual level, four Wyoming wrestlers were ranked in the InterMat polls, and a fifth — junior heavyweight Tanner Harms — was ranked 20th in the Amateur Wrestling Polls. Harms’ ranking is sure to go up too, after he broke Deuel’s win streak with a 9-6 decision win over the senior. Being outscored in team play throughout the day, 8564, albeit against some of the top programs in the nation, the Bearcats took plenty away from their trip to Troy. Mostly, that’s in their ability to execute on the mat, and walk away with the W. “It all comes down to execution and that’s what I’ve been telling guys,” Dernlan said. “I love our attitude, I love our fight, our guys are coming out there and scrapping really really hard, putting a complete effort out there. But now what we have to do, is we have to have our execution match our fight and attitude.” The Bearcats will begin Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association dual play Dec. 12 when they travel to Princeton. Placing in second at Saturday’s Navy Classic in Annapolis, Maryland, the matchup will be the first for both teams this season in the EIWA. Face-off is set for 7 p.m. at Dillon Gym in Princeton, N.J.
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Deuel takes three at Northeast Duals see page 7
Monday, December 1, 2014
Poor shooting dooms BU to drop two to Army, Cornell Without Reed, Bearcats fail to stage second-half comeback against Big Red, fall 68-54 Ashley Purdy Sports Editor
Michael Contegni/Pipe Dream Staff Photographer
Sophomore guard Yosef Yacob paced Binghamton’s offense with 15 points in the team’s 68-54 loss to Cornell on Saturday afternoon.
In two games over the last two years, the Binghamton men’s basketball team gave Cornell a run for its money. Binghamton (1-6) exploded for over 50 secondhalf points to overcome 20-point deficits in each case, keeping the game close and even taking a win last year. But Binghamton (1-6) could not meet its precedent in the two programs’ annual matchup this year. The Bearcats couldn’t get their shots to fall, and they posted a 36.2 percent shooting clip from the floor en route to their 68-54 loss at the Events Center on Saturday afternoon. “Right now everything is tough for us,” BU head coach Tommy Dempsey said. “Every basket is tough for us, everything is a grind out there right now offensively.” Dempsey described the group’s current mood as being in a “funk.” No doubt, that has something to do with the program’s former star, junior guard Jordan Reed, taking an indefinite leave of absence from the team. And while no one can say what would have happened had he played on Saturday, he was crucial in keeping pace with Cornell (4-4) the past two years, eclipsing the 20-point mark in both 2012-13 and 2013-14. While Dempsey’s rotations weren’t fixed to begin with and Reed hadn’t played over 10 minutes a game since the season opener against Notre Dame on Nov. 14, the third-year player was supposed to be able to provide senior leadership to Dempsey’s young squad, comprising seven freshmen and five sophomores. With Reed gone, there are just two upperclassmen — senior forward Jabrille Williams and junior guard Karon Waller — left on the roster. And over seven games, those two have combined for under 10 minutes. Unsurprisingly, the young
squad is struggling. That was evident in Binghamton’s numbers against Cornell. They shot just 4 for 16 from the perimeter and were outrebounded, 38-33. They converted just 17 of 47 shots from the field while the Big Red finished shooting 45.6 percent, converting 12 of 28 from the floor. “At times we were getting the right shots, they just weren’t falling down,” sophomore guard Yosef Yacob said. “We need to work a little bit more on our chemistry as a team. There are a few things that are missing here and there, but overall, I felt like we were running the right sets and getting the right looks, so the ball just has to start falling in.” Yacob led the team with 15 points, 11 of them second-half points. He helped to pace a Bearcat team that dipped to 33.3 percent shooting after halftime and that wasn’t putting many looks together. Though Binghamton came in with a plan to execute against Cornell, even that was foiled. Dempsey saw that Cornell had struggled against zone defenses in its first few games this season; Binghamton opened the game running a zone. But in response, the Big Red dominated from the perimeter: They scored their first 21 points on 3-pointers, converting seven of their 10 attempts through the opening nine minutes of the game. “Sometimes you go into [the game] and you think one thing is going to be the most effective — like we thought the zone was going to be effective tonight — and it wasn’t, so we adjusted,” Dempsey said. Following a timeout, Binghamton pressed man-to-man and limited its visitors to just two more treys until halftime. But Cornell refused to be stymied, and the team’s offensive glass-crashing allowed them to jump ahead. The Big Red scored 15 second-chance points and grabbed 11 offensive rebounds through the game.
In the second half, Binghamton looked like it might come roaring back as it had in the past, scoring on each of its first two possessions. Freshman forward Dusan Perovic dropped in two off a hook shot and Yacob nailed a three in transition to narrow the gap to three points, 35-32. But three straight jumpers from Cornell’s leading scorer, senior forward Shonn Miller, and Cornell went on a 16-1 run spanning nearly six minutes. The Big Red jumped up to a 51-33 lead with 12:38 remaining, and Binghamton couldn’t bounce back. Cornell finished out the game with a 14-point lead, 68-54. Behind Yacob, freshman guard Romello Walker reached doubledigits in scoring with 10 points. He also grabbed a team-high seven boards. Freshman forward Willie Rodriguez, who has averaged 19.3 points over the past three games, added eight points on 3-for-10 shooting from the field. The loss to Cornell comes on the heels of an 80-54 blowout to Army on Tuesday night. In that game, Rodriguez recorded his first collegiate double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Despite his success, Army’s 15-point lead heading into halftime was too much to overcome, and Army (5-0) preserved its perfect record. Next up for BU is a road match next Wednesday at Boston University. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at Case Gym in Boston, Mass.
Every basket it tough for us, everything is a grind out there... — Tommy Dempsey BU head coach
Binghamton's skid hits four after pair of weekend losses With only eight available players, Bearcats fall short against St. John's and St. Bonaventure E.Jay Zarett
Assistant Sports Editor Two road games in three days is a challenge for most college basketball teams. Add taking on tough competition and fielding a depleted roster to that challenge, and you have the formidable task that the Binghamton women’s basketball team faced this weekend. The Bearcats (15) dropped contests against Big East-foe St. John’s and in-state rival St. Bonaventure, extending
We keep playing hard and we don't give up — Linda Cimino BU head coach
their losing streak to four. “We put up a good fight,” Binghamton head coach Linda Cimino said. “I was very proud of the girls, the way that they fought and never gave up.” Binghamton struggled to keep a stronger St. John’s (50) team out of the paint in the first half on Friday, allowing 16 points with 11 second-chance opportunities. BU’s freshman backcourt tandem of Jasmine Sina and Imani Watkins kept the Bearcats competitive, however. Sina poured in 11 points, including three 3-pointers, while Watkins added six points in the period. Binghamton attempted 13 fewer shots than the Red Storm, but headed into the locker room down by only 11 points, at 35-24. Sina and Watkins carried their hot starts into the second half. The two combined for 21 of the Bearcats’ 27 points in the period. However, BU continued to struggle against a deep St. John’s team. The Red Storm dominated the glass, scoring 10 points off of offensive boards.
Binghamton was unable to shave the deficit to fewer than 11 points, and ultimately fell, 67-51. In the game, Sina finished with a career-high 20 points. Watkins added 18. “Against St. John’s we battled and I think we surprised them and kept the game close,” Cimino said. “It was like a threepossession game the whole way. I thought we played hard.” The Bearcats continued their road trip on Sunday, now against St. Bonaventure (4-2). The two teams battled early in the first half. Bonnies junior forward Katie Healy scored seven points in the opening 10 minutes to give her team a 14-11 advantage. But back-to-back 3-pointers by junior guard Kim Albrecht and Sina swung the score in BU’s favor, granting the visitors a onepoint lead. That would be the last lead the Bearcats would hold all game, as St. Bonaventure ended the half on an 18-6 run to jump ahead, 35-24, by halftime. “That four minutes going into halftime, we are kind of giving up some points,” Cimino said.
“I think that if we fix that we are going to be okay.” Binghamton struggled in the second half, allowing the Bonnies to score 37 points. Healy was a force for the Bonnies, scoring 11 points in the period while knocking down five of six from the free-throw line. Bonnies sophomore forward Gabby Richmond paced Healy, adding 10 in the half and propelling St. Bonaventure to a 72-54 victory. “[On Sunday] we ran out of gas a little bit,” Cimino said. “We haven’t been giving up and I think that says a lot about our character. We keep playing hard and we don’t give up.” One bright spot for the Bearcats was Albrecht, who finished the game with 16 points, six rebounds and four assists. Albrecht is currently averaging 11.3 points per game, exactly six more than she averaged last season. BU is set to return to action on Saturday at NJIT. Tip-off is set for noon at the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Raquel Panitz/Pipe Dream Photographer
Freshman guard Jasmine Sina scored a career-high 20 points in Binghamton’s 67-51 loss to St. John’s on Friday.