Fall 2014 Issue 25

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PIPE DREAM Tuesday, December 9, 2014 | Binghamton University | www.bupipedream.com | Vol. LXXXVI, Issue 25

BU remembers Frost Fest helps campus chill out before finals late leader of Nightmare Before Christmas cools down Old Union, destresses students African thought Frost Fest.

Sponsored by University Lofts and organized by the Student Association The Tillman Lobby, Old Union Hall Programming Board (SAPB), this year’s and Mandela Room were transformed into theme was Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare a winter wonderland on Sunday for an Before Christmas,” and featured themed afternoon of freebies, food, music and fun cups, decorations, T-shirts and a pumpkinat Binghamton University’s sixth annual shaped ice sculpture.

Gabriella Weick Staff Writer

Former professor Ali Mazuri advised World Bank, United Nations Emilie Leroy

According to Mimi Nam, a senior majoring in biology and chairwoman of the Festivals Committee, the goal for Frost Fest was to let students know that the Student Association (SA) wants them to unwind and have a good time in the face of end-of-semester pressure.

“We tried to incorporate a lot of

Pipe Dream News While memorials are usually somber events, the memorial for Binghamton University professor and renowned scholar, Ali Mazrui, had the atmosphere of a family gathering, as guests shared stories of the man who left an indelible mark on the academic world.

Over 60 people filled Casadesus Hall in the Fine Arts Building on Saturday afternoon to celebrate Mazrui with professors from BU, Cornell University and Rutgers University. Mazrui’s five sons and others all spoke about the professor’s life and legacy.

In an academic career that spanned five decades, Mazrui wrote more than 20 books and 100 scholarly articles. He held the Albert Schweitzer chair of the Humanities at BU since 1989. He was also the founder and director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies (IGCS) at BU. He died of natural causes at his home in Vestal on Oct. 12. Mazrui was 81.

Mazrui also served as special adviser for the World Bank and on United Nations

See AM Page 2

Sasha Dolgetta/Contributing Photographer

Amanda Rizzi, a sophomore majoring in geography; Jessica Siegal, a sophomore majoring in history; Mindi Ocasio, a sophomore majoring in cinema; and Julia Dunnigan, a sophomore majoring in actuarial science sit on the ground during Frost Fest taking part in the arts and craft section of the indoor festival.

Frost Fest saw the Tillman Lobby, Old Union Hall and Mandela Room transform into a “Nightmare Before Christmas” themed festival hosted by the Student Association Programming Board.

activities for students to do to try and take a break from studying for finals,” Nam said. “We added a lot more inflatables and tried to incorporate more food. We definitely tried to get a lot more student tabling this year to get people interested.”

Activities included a mechanical broomstick-shaped bull, a photo booth, a life-sized snow globe, temporary tattoos, a Build-A-Bear Workshop booth, caricature drawings and a 10-person laser tag course.

After participating in laser tag last year, Collin Milone, a first-year graduate student studying public administration, said the games were a major reason he attended Frost Fest.

“The laser tag was amazing,” Milone said. “It was exciting and it’s intense, but we lost by nine points. I think they should have it every year.”

Nelia Rodriguez, a senior doublemajoring in environmental studies and geography, showed off her BuildA-Bear creation and said she tried to take advantage of the day as much as they could.

“I’m having fun,” Rodriguez said. “The food’s good … Build-A-Bear is always fun.

I named mine Icey.”

Tables were set up around the perimeter of the festival by SA groups, sponsors and charities who were offering more giveaways and information. Tables included free ice scrapers from University Lofts, cookies from the Student Culinary

See FEST Page 2

After small drink, large Before finals, performers ask for one last dance consequences can follow Tamasha fuses South Asian culture, popular music Fairbairn explains implicatioins of regular alcohol consumption Pelle Waldron

Pipe Dream News Drinking in a social context is more complex than the average student headed Downtown on a Friday night may think.

As part of her application process to become a research professor, Catharine Fairbairn, who received her Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, gave a talk on Monday evening on alcohol’s rewards in social contexts.

Fairbairn discussed the implications of alcohol abuse, such as the way it impacts relationships and the rate of people who

Michael Sugarman/Contributing Photographer

Catharine Fairbairn, who received her Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, gives a talk on the psychological effects of alcohol.

end up with an alcohol use disorder (AUD).

According to Fairbairn, if one member of a relationship is an alcoholic the chance of a breakup is eight times higher. She discussed her study, which dealt with social drinking and measured drinkers’ facial expressions and moods.

“In their everyday drinking lives people overwhelmingly consume alcohol in the company of others,” Fairbairn said. “If we can get at some of these emotional rewards people get from alcohol, then we can ultimately go a long way to understanding and reforming better prevention measures.”

Fairbairn showcased video and audio samples of her studies, as well as discussions about what alcohol does to the user and how the characteristics of the user, such as personality and gender, can influence their usage. According to her, men are more likely than women to get AUD and one in four people in the United States will develop an alcohol problem.

She ended her talk with a summary of her plans for future research, such as studying the relationship between neuroticism and social anxiety. Faculty and students then asked questions pertaining to her study and results.

The purpose of the talk was to bring in a researcher from a different institution to learn about their respective research. Matthew Johnson, a professor in Binghamton University’s psychology

See PSYCH Page 2

Zuzu Boomer-Knapp Staff Writer

Audience members at Watters Theatre were taken on an upbeat and colorful tour of Indian culture on Saturday night at the 18th annual performance, Tamasha: The Last Dance, put on by the Indian International Student Union (IISU).

Freshmen of IISU dawned colorful and sparkling outfits to open the night with a high-energy welcoming dance, which was followed by over 70 students performing traditional Indian dances with Western influences, a fashion show and a comedic skit about two girls, Priya and Divya, who wanted to be Bollywood dancers.

Jonathan Vayalumkal, the president of IISU, said that IISU hosts Tamasha every fall semester and the club choreographs the dances, mixes the music for the performances, and films, writes, directs and acts in the skit. This was their first time incorporating an a cappella group.

“We use Tamasha as an opportunity for IISU members to experience new things and foster the exposition of culture on Binghamton’s campus,” said Vayalumkal, a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience. “We have a thriving South Asian community on our campus and Tamasha is the highlight of our cultural programming for the year.”

The classical dance, which combined many older forms of dance that use intricate hand and foot movements, started off in darkness with slower music as dancers carried around lit candles.

As the lights began to fade, a bright red background illuminated the dancers and

Neil Seejoor/Contributing Photographer

Freshmen of the Indian International Student Union (IISU) dance a high-energy welcome dance at Tamasha: The Last Dance.

they began to dance, jump and spin as music picked up.

A cappella group Bollywood Beats performed for the first time at Tamasha, and fused pop songs like “Diamonds in the Sky” by Rihanna with classic Indian songs performed in Hindi. Reema Shah, an undeclared freshman who performed a solo, said that practicing to sing in both English and Hindi became natural over time.

“It just works,” Shah said. “It’s obviously a bit different at first but practicing one [song] helps you with the other. They both help each other.”

Members of the Korean American Student Association (KASA) closed the night with a lively and dynamic performance filled with sharp and precise

See IISU Page 2

We use Tamasha as an opportunity for IISU members to experience new things and foster the exposition of culture . . .

— Jonathan Bayalumkal BU Senior

2

NEWS

www.bupipedream.com | December 9, 2014

Runners show off winter style for cause Mazrui remembered Ugly Sweater 5K raises $3,000 for Broome County Promise Zone for activism, academics Alana Epstein Staff Writer

AM continued from Page 1

Over 100 runners put on their sneakers and their ugliest holiday sweaters Sunday morning for Broome County Promise Zone’s inaugural Ugly Sweater Run. The run, co-sponsored by the College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA), began in Lot S in front of Newing College and ended between Academic Buildings A and B. The run was a fundraiser for Promise Zone’s summer program for at-risk youth.

Broome County Promise Zone is a partnership between Binghamton University, BroomeTioga Board of Cooperative Educational Services and Broome County Mental Health. The summer program aims to help at-risk teenagers in Johnson City, Binghamton, Whitney Point and Union-Endicott improve their attitude toward school and provide families with resources and services needed to attain success.

John Vassello, the associate director of field education and admissions for the department of social work at CCPA and a run organizer, said the ugly sweater idea had more meaning behind it than just holiday tradition.

“The ugly sweater theme fits well in the idea of accepting and appreciating everyone, regardless of what they look like and who they may be,” Vassello said. “It’s about accommodating and including everyone. The idea of ugly sweater meshes very well with the idea of community schools.”

According to Vassello, Promise Zone raised roughly $1,000 more than their $2,000 goal to fund its summer program through registration fees and donations

Klara Rusinko/Pipe Dream Photographer

A group of runners jog through campus as part of Broome County Promise Zone’s inaugural Ugly Sweater Run. The run,cosponsored by the College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA), began in Lot S in front of Newing College and ended between Academic A and B.

solicited from the run.

“We [had] some money, but not enough to run these summer programs,” Vassello said.

Meredith Abel, a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said she worked with the summer program last summer and was glad to help it run another year.

“It was an amazing experience,” Abel said. “I had to come support the next year of it. I’m so impressed by everyone’s outfits and enthusiasm to come, plus I need some cardio.”

For those who forgot their ugly sweaters at home, “ugly sweater” shirts commemorating the year with a green “ugly” design were available for purchase.

Participants who came in the most heinous of Christmas sweaters did not go unnoticed. The

first, second and third “ugliest” sweater were awarded with a hand-sewn ugly sweater “medal,” a certificate and gift cards to Cyber Cafe West and Charging Star Comics.

While students Rachel Kuhl and Joseph Jackson finished as the first female and male runnerup, respectively, Amber Kida, a member of the Binghamton community, outfitted with pictures of Santa Claus, reindeer and holiday ribbons, won the ugliest sweater competition. Many participants were wearing sweaters that they had hand decorated with patches, ribbons, bows and pom-poms.

The race attracted not only University students, but families and community members from throughout Broome County.

Natasha Moore was one of the

many attendees who brought along her whole family, including her two dogs, to the event.

“I thought this would be a fun event to bring the family to,” Moore said. “It brings the community together in the ugliest of apparel to support an amazing cause during the holiday season.”

Maria Murphy, one of the event’s organizers who works at Lourdes Hospital, said she thought the ugly sweater theme was a creative and unique way to bring together the community during the holiday time.

“We haven’t seen an ugly sweater run here so we thought, why not,” Murphy said. “It’s a fun way to get people together, running together, keeping warm and raising some money and recognition for a really great program.”

projects dealing with issues such as human rights, nuclear proliferation and constitutional reforms in African nations.

While Mazrui’s academic contributions were well known, many of the speakers talked about how he affected their lives, expounding on his courage, kindness and sense of humor.

Onyeka Obasi, the president of Friends of Africa International, a non-profit organization that advocates for human rights and social justice in Africa, recounted how Mazrui mentored her for years and helped her decide on a career path. She said she was touched by how Mazrui, whom she referred to as “prof,” always stayed in touch.

“When prof is committed to something, he stays with it until the end,” Obasi said. “He was a father, he was a mentor and he was a friend.”

Several speakers described how Mazrui always stood by his ideas. Abubaker Al-Shingieti, the regional director of the International Institute of Islamic Thought, recounted how Mazrui faced opposition for proposing a Muslim world affairs course at BU. Those against the course said it would conflict with the large Jewish population, but Mazrui said it was necessary to give recognition to lesser known cultural identities.

“He had the courage to introduce concepts and projects that may not be popular but ultimately people see the wisdom of it,” Al-Shingieti said.

His 1986 television mini series, “The Africans: A

Triple Heritage,” discussed the indigenous, Islamic and western influences that affected African culture. Some people criticized the television series for supposedly advocating for African nations to acquire nuclear capabilities.

But for Horace Campbell, a professor of African American studies at Syracuse University, Mazrui incited arguments because he represented Africa in original ways.

“He attracted controversy because he stood for something,” Campbell said. “He was not someone who took the task that stood ahead of him lightly.”

Mazrui’s colleagues and family also expressed the importance of continuing his legacy through the institute he founded, IGCS, which focuses its research on cultural influences like language, religion and gender studies in different countries around the world.

For Colleen Farrar, a student in Mazrui’s last class at BU, Government and Politics in Africa in fall 2013, his legacy will live on through memories.

“He was an incredible and prestigious teacher,” said Farrar, a junior double-majoring in political science and Arabic. “I’m grateful for getting the chance to spend any time with him at all.”

However, for Farid Mazrui, Mazrui’s fourth son, his legacy is an inspiration for the future.

“I want to make half as much of an impact as he did,” said Mazrui, a senior at the University at Buffalo. “It’s a great task but it’s something I’m looking forward to trying to achieve.”

Frost Fest features laser tag, Build-A-Bear

Tamasha celebrates heritage through dance

FEST continued from Page 1

movements to modern music like rap and hip-hop, which drew some of the biggest cheers of the night.

One of the routines was by Binghamton Masti, an all-girl South Asian-inspired dance team, which incorporated many styles of dance into their routine including Bollywood, Bhangra, hip-hop and classical. Their dance included props such as batons that they broke over their knees mid-dance and wooden sticks which they used to drum on the floors.

Anisha Mahajan, a senior majoring in biology, performed in two dances, the fashion show and played Priya in the skit. She said that her favorite part of the night was the Mixed Moda, where there was a dance-off between the underclassmen who performed a

Association, fondue with Engineers Without Borders and hot cocoa mix from the Alumni Association.

“Who doesn’t love free stuff?” said Kristen Mulvena, a junior majoring in psychology. “I woke up this morning, finished a paper and said ‘Okay, Frost Fest time!’”

Throughout the event, attendees snacked on cupcakes, beverages, fruit and soup provided

by Sodexo, rice bowls by Moghul and waited in line for free spiedies from Lupo’s.

The event also featured performances by groups like Evolution Dance, Slam Poetry, Vocal Jazz, the BU Dance Team and Hoop Troop. According to Spencer

Rosner, a freshman majoring in integrative neuroscience, the wide range of performances was a good addition to the afternoon.

“I thought all the acts brought something different to the table, something new from each one,” Rosner said. “I liked it all, it was so fun.”

After an afternoon of snacks and fun, students like Sydney Rosen, a sophomore majoring in English, said Frost Fest came at just the right time to unwind from academics.

“I’m looking for any way to procrastinate, and this is so much fun and such a great way to destress before finals,” Rosen said.

“It’s a nice way to have fun with friends before you have to study.”

IISU continued from Page 1

Ear n 3 credits over semester break!

We are a thriving South Asian community on campus —Jonathan Bayalumkal BU Senior

hip-hop routine and the seniors who performed a more traditional Bollywood number.

“The seniors got really close and we got to dance together which was nice because we hadn’t done that since freshman year,” Mahajan said.

“I think we put in a lot of effort and we got to see the results: Everyone clapping and cheering and having fun.”

Groups perform on Saturday night at the 18th annual Tamasha: The Last Dance. The IISU put on a welcoming dance along with over 70 students who performed traditional Indian dances with Western influences, a fashion show and a comedic skit about two girls, Priya and Divya, who wanted to become Bollywood dancers.

Fairbairn talks emotional rewards of drinking PSYCH continued from Page 1

Session Runs Dec. 15, 2014 Jan. 9, 2015

Neil Seejoor/Contributing Photographer

department, said that in addition to this it was an opportunity for students to learn more about what they are studying.

“Undergraduate students get an opportunity to learn about cutting edge research and how it is created,” Johnson said. “This brings to life what they read about in textbooks.”

Lindsey Collins, a first-year graduate student studying clinical psychology, attended the talk and said the speaker impressed her.

She said that it was beneficial for students to hear from sources

outside of Binghamton University.

“She gave a lot of information about the research that has been done up to this point and her contributions,” Collins said. “It gives us information about the greater community of researchers and the greater body of work that is being done.”

Mike Fager, a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, attended the talk in order to learn more about a topic he had only read about in the past.

“For undergraduate students it’s important for us to have these types of talks,” Fager said. “Coming to

these talks really captures what their future could be like, it’s another way to learn than reading a paper.”

Fairbairn said she was happy to see students at the event and that she hopes that they will get excited about psychology in general.

But she added that it is important everyone understand the dangers of alcohol.

“Alcohol problems are so pervasive and so harmful,” Fairbairn said. “I’m not here to preach to anybody, but just because you are doing it with other people, it doesn’t necessarily mean that ultimately that can’t become a problem.”

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PAGE III Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Address: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902

Pipe Line

Happy Hanukkahvities

editor-in-ChieF* Rachel Bluth editor@bupipedream.com

Animals blessed in holiday ritual at NYC church Dogs, cats, horses, llamas and even a pig went to church for a holiday ritual. The animals were blessed Sunday by Roman Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan, a rabbi and ministers at the Christ Church United Methodist parish on Park Avenue in Manhattan. After the annual animal blessing, workers sprayed the pews with disinfectant — to make sure they were ready for human worshippers. The furry faithful included five members of the New York Police Department’s canine unit and several police horses.

They were led in by New York Police Commissioner William Bratton. Most of about 100 animals came with their owners, starting with a procession up the center aisle. But some arrived looking for love — and a home. They were offered for adoption, waiting in back of the church.

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

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS US unveils federal law enforcement profiling ban The Obama administration issued guidelines on Monday that ban U.S. federal law enforcement from profiling on the basis of religion, national origin and other characteristics, protocols the Justice Department hopes could be a model for local departments as the nation tackles questions about the role race plays in policing. The policy, which expands decade-old guidelines established under the Bush administration, also will require new training and data collection. Civil rights advocates said they welcomed the broader protections, but were disappointed that the guidelines will exempt security screening in airports and border checkpoints and won’t be binding on local and state police agencies. Though the guidelines — five years in the making — were not drafted in response to recent high-profile cases involving the deaths of black individuals at the hands of white police officers, they’re nonetheless being released amid an ongoing national conversation about standards for police use of force, racial justice and the treatment of minorities by law enforcement.

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Fall 2014

STATE NEWS

Rolling Stone clarifies its apology on UVA story Rolling Stone has clarified its apology over a story that had reported a female student was gang-raped at a University of Virginia fraternity, telling readers the mistakes were the magazine’s fault, not the alleged victim’s. That’s a shift from the original note to readers, issued Friday, when it said of Jackie, the woman who claimed to have been gang-raped at a Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, “Our trust in her was misplaced.” The updated note removes that line, which struck some critics as blaming the victim. The magazine said that it shouldn’t have agreed to Jackie’s request not to contact the alleged assailants to get their side of the story, out of sensitivity to her. “These mistakes are on Rolling Stone, not on Jackie,” wrote the magazine’s managing editor, Will Dana. “We apologize to anyone who was affected by the story and we will continue to investigate the events of that evening.” The decision not to contact the alleged rapists prompted criticism from other news organizations. Last month’s sensational story used Jackie’s case as an example of what it called a culture of sexual violence hiding in plain sight at U.Va., one of the nation’s leading public universities. The story claimed that too many people on the Charlottesville, Virginia, campus put protecting the school’s image and their own reputations above seeking justice for sex crimes.

Phone: 607-777-2515

Tamar Ashdot-Bari/Contributing Photographer

Kevin Paredes, a freshman majoring in industrial engineering; Perry Thomson, an undeclared freshman; and Mike Kezner, an undeclared freshman, make menorahs out of edible treats like pretzels, marshmallows and Nutella. First Year Students of Hillel (FYSH) hosted a pre-Hanukkah event where students came to relax, spin dreidels and build menorahs on Sunday afternoon.

Asst. releAse editor Odeya Pinkus sPorts editor* Ashley Purdy sports@bupipedream.com Asst. sPorts editors Jeff Twitty E.Jay Zarett

Police Watch

Fun PAge editor* Ben Moosher fun@bupipedream.com

A lighter take on campus crime Aaron Berkowitz | Police Correspondent

You Just Landed On The Naughty List FRIDAY, DEC. 5, 7:00 p.m. — Officers were dispatched to the Events Center due to reports of petit larceny, said Investigator Patrick Reilly of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. The school soccer team was collecting money for Toys for Tots and had the money, which amounted to $35 in cash, in a cup inside the men’s locker room. The cup was found missing and it is believed to have been stolen. The case is still under investigation.

You Dun Goofed, Kid SATURDAY, DEC. 6, 2:10 a.m. — A 19-year-old male nearly struck a UPD vehicle on Connection Road in Vestal, Reilly said. The officer in the vehicle looked through his mirror at the suspect and noticed that he had droopy eyes, was swaying back and forth, was spitting out the window and appeared to have the hiccups. The officer pulled over the vehicle and got the suspect’s license and registration. The officer noticed the odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle. When asked, the suspect said that he was drinking at the bars Downtown earlier in the night. He said that he used a

fake ID to get into the bars. The suspect failed a field sobriety test and had a BAC of .20. The suspect was charged with possession of a forged instrument, DWI, driving with a BAC of over .08, unsafe turning and failure to stop at a stop sign.

Down In The Dumps SUNDAY, DEC. 7, 5:45 p.m. — An 18-year-old female came to the UPD station to report the theft of her iPhone 6, Reilly said. The iPhone, which is gold with a gold and white case, was reportedly stolen from her room the night before. The victim used her Find my iPhone app to determine the phone’s location. The phone was found to be somewhere near University Plaza. Officers went with the victim to look for it, and determined that the location was near four cars and a dumpster. The owners of the cars were asked to move their cars to see if the signal would move, but the signal did not move. Officers went through the dumpster but could not find the phone. Officers believe it is likely inside a bag somewhere inside the dumpster.

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amendment rights, I and other Binghamton senior administrators are embarrassed by and do not condone the insensitive and racist comments that have anonymously appeared on social media in our community in response to the peaceful activism of our student body.”

— BU President Harvey Stenger in response to recent events on campus

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stabilizing: new lenses

zack's last production:destabilizing

RELEASE

Arts & Culture

Mitski strikes a chord Sinan Ziyilan/Contributing Photographer

Jonathan Ortiz | Contributing Writer On Dec. 6, Binghamton Underground Music Presents (BUMP) invited singer-songwriters Mitski and Johanna Warren to share their music with an intimate crowd of students. In a dimly lit classroom on the upper floor of the Old University Union, the two artists flooded the modest venue with sincere and passionate vibrations emanating from both guitar and vocal chords.

When experiencing an artist perform live, there is a profoundly penetrating conversation between artist and individual. The initial notes grab your attention like a heartfelt “hello” as lyrics initiate a discussion.

Melodies interact with memories, stirring emotions and reactions that

further fuel the performance. This intermingling of melodic motifs, individual experiences and shared energy encourages the growth of unique thought, like a late-night philosophical chat with an old friend after a few drinks. A similarly amicable atmosphere filled the room as Warren, in her soothingly gentle manner of speaking, kindly asked the audience to make themselves at home cross-legged on the floor.

After taking up her guitar and relieving any residual tension with a few laughable quips, Warren engaged the crowd with melancholic chord progressions and a notable command over her vocal intonations. Persuasive vocal melodies combined with nimble finger picking left audience members vulnerable to her

tangibly somber lyrics recalling moments of pain and sorrow from past relationships; the daunting uncertainty Warren exuded during “My Storm” resulted in an extended silence amongst the crowd after the final iteration of its chorus.

Warren admitted that her music career has been an arduous process of self-discovery. She hopes that her listeners will embark on a similar journey.

“I want to encourage everyone to look deep within themselves to find their authentic self,” Warren said.

Breanna Jacobs, a sophomore majoring in art, said she felt Johanna’s soothing vocals throughout her entire performance.

“I love her tonal ranges,” Jacobs said. “It was just so relaxing, and her message was clear and powerful.”

Following her performance,

Warren joined the audience on the floor. Meanwhile, Mitski tuned her guitar in preparation for a fiercer, punk-influenced display of musical dexterity. Her voice resonated boldly and honestly. Her chords struck with clear confidence.

Mitski’s confessions of ambitiously rebellious desires in “Townie” were as electric and powerful acoustically as it would be if backed by a live band.

The recent SUNY Purchase graduate brings her performances to life with a strong-willed individualistic attitude toward the journey for personal maturity. As she performed “First Love/ Late Spring,” Mitski’s lyrics assured the crowd that even after presenting a facade of maturity throughout our teenage years, it’s understandable to feel immature emotions as an

adult. However, before her last piece, Mitski implored the crowd to educate themselves if they ever wish to make a change in their lives and those that surround them.

She referenced the recent events in Ferguson, Missouri to illustrate her message.

“I want everyone to acknowledge what’s going on, to read the facts,” Mitski said. “You guys are safe here, but we still need to figure out what the fuck to do.”

The moment after Mitski’s final song, applause reverberated within the Old University Union classroom and overflowed into the halls. The crowd stuck by for quite some time after the show to discuss their favorite songs and for a chance to speak personally with Mitski and Warren.

It is this sort of unifying

experience that BUMP, a subset of the Student Association Programming Board, brings to the forefront of campus culture. The organization has delivered a considerable number of unique sounds to the music fanatics of Binghamton University, including the dance-provoking synths of Rubblebucket and the psychedelic rock of King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard. According to Stephanie Zagreda, vice president for programming, BUMP aims to sustain an appreciation for community by encouraging students to express their tastes in an intimate venue.

“I think a lot of culture gets lost in the business of campus life,” Zagreda said. “That’s why it’s important for students to unite in one experience.”

Turn over a loose leaf and try brewing tea Jacob Shamsian | Release Editor It’s cold now, and the go-to caffeinated hot drink for college students is, of course, coffee.

However, too many students ignore the bean-based beverage’s leafy rival: tea.

Some people have the perception that brewing looseleaf tea is somehow complicated and expensive, requiring esoteric materials and herbal expertise. In fact, it’s remarkably easy and cheap.

All you need to brew loose-leaf tea

is hot water, a tea kettle or infuser and the tea itself.

Most people first encounter tea through the Lipton bag, a satanic symbol if there ever was one.

There are a few good tea bags out there; Lipton does not make any of them. The problem with tea bags is that they’re filled with broken tea leaves, and when tea leaves break, they lose most of their essential oils and aromas. When steeped, broken tea leaves release more tannins, a type of molecule that tastes bitter.

Because of this, bagged teas often misrepresent the flavor of full teas,

and only with loose-leaf tea can you brew full tea leaves. In fact, bagged tea is usually made from the dust and fannings from tea leaves. In other words: the garbage. If you’re drinking Lipton, you’re literally drinking garbage juice.

Fortunately, Wegmans (where else?) offers a nice selection of loose-leaf teas. In addition to tins of varying sizes from various brands, Wegmans carries bins of storebrand tea of which you can take as much as you’d like, perfect for trying out different flavors — a pinch for one serving, or a whole

Photo Provided

pouch for a year. If you want to venture beyond the store brands, I recommend Twinings and Harney & Sons. Twinings is great because its leaves seem inexhaustible. You can probably brew at least 10 cups with just a pinch of their Earl Grey; it’s ridiculous. Harney & Sons also excels at the staples and offers other fun flavors as well. (If you’re ever in Manhattan, visit their flagship store in SoHo, where you can sample a wide variety.)

When buying tea, be sure you’re buying tea. I once received a gift of Teavana orange blossom “tea.”

Perhaps it does contain rose petals, orange peels and even hibiscus, but none of the listed ingredients are tea. As boiled fruit flower water it tastes wonderful, but not a molecule of Camellia sinensis can be found. Also, don’t buy anything from Teavana. It’s overpriced.

Now that you have your tea, make sure you have access to hot water. I’ll let you figure that one out on your own. I personally use an electric kettle, but I had a neighbor who literally boiled water in a saucepan over his stove and then poured the water into a mug with an infuser inside. He did this for two years. For all I know, he still does it. Whatever floats your boat.

A tea infuser is kind of like a roomy, refillable tea bag. They’re usually made of steel or silicone, and have a perforated compartment

that you can open and fill with tea leaves. Once you do that, drop the infuser into a mug and fill it with hot water, then let it steep until it’s as dark as you like it, just as you would with a tea bag.

Lately, I’ve been using my kettle more often because it’s easier to brew multiple cups of tea. (A good kettle or infuser will set you back around $5 to $10, and you can get them on Amazon or at Wegmans, among other usual retailers.) You put in whatever amount of tea you want, and then add hot water. When you pour the tea into your mug, the strainer between the kettle’s body and spout will let the liquid pass through while keeping most of the leaves inside. Make sure you put the tea leaves in first and then pour water over them. If you put the tea leaves on top of hot water, you’ll be just standing there with tea leaves floating on top, hoping that no one saw.

As for the amount of tea: it depends. Tea companies like to recommend a specific tea leaf-towater ratio steeped for a precise amount of time. That’s nonsense.

It’s just a ruse to get you to use up your tea faster and buy tea more often. You just need to remember that the more tea you put in, the faster it’ll become dark. So if you put in a tablespoon of tea into your kettle and pour a cup of boiling water over it, it’ll probably get

If you’re drinking Lipton, you’re literally drinking garbage juice really dark in less than a minute.

If you put a pinch of dry tea, it might take 10. The amount of time it takes also depends on what kind of tea you have and how dark you like it.

The good thing about a kettle is that you can always add more water. So, for instance, I’ll often put two cups of water in my kettle and let the tea inside steep until it’s as dark as I like. Then I pour a cup for myself and let the remaining cup in the kettle continue to steep. When I’ve finished my first cup, what’s left in the kettle is much darker, and I’ll pour around an ounce of that into my mug and then fill the mug with regular ol’ hot water, lightening it to the point that I like.

It’s as simple as that.

5

RELEASE

December 9, 2014 | www.bupipedream.com

Is this man a killer? A thrilling, trilling virtuoso Rich Kersting | Release

A body in a park, scant evidence and a life sentence. There’s a lot to uncover in “Serial,� a weekly podcast that has amassed a huge fan base over the last couple of months.

A production of WBEZ Chicago, “Serial� follows host Sarah Koenig as she delves into the 1999 case of Adnan Syed, a then-high school senior who was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend, a crime he denies knowledge of, and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Koenig first learned of the case over a year ago and has since recorded her investigation, inviting people to listen in on her progress. Along the way, she rehashes old questions, asks new ones and follows leads never before pursued by the prosecution or defense. Throughout the course of the program, Koenig is in correspondence with Syed, as well as a laundry list of old classmates, as she tries to uncover the truth behind his character. Is he really an innocent man robbed of his freedom, or is he more manipulative than he seems? “Serial� melds the love of watercooler gossip with a gripping murder mystery that asks: If not Syed, then who? Does the absence of other suspects and a loose testimony from a drug dealer indict Syed, a well-respected and well-liked high school senior, of murder beyond a reasonable doubt?

Everyone has their own opinions and their own interpretation of the evidence. In a way, every listener is playing the part of an amateur detective ensuring that no stone goes unturned.

The podcast also raises several other provocative questions involving the psychology of memory.

It was six weeks before they arrested

James Sereno | Contributing Writer

Photo Provided by the Associated Press

Adnan Syed, the subject of the popular podcast “Serial.� In 2000, Syed was charged with the murder of Hae Min Lee, his former girlfriend.

Syed. Can you remember what you were doing exactly six weeks ago?

Koenig notes that people are more likely to remember days bearing special significance, so if we look at Syed’s testimony and presume innocence, can we really expect him to remember a day that might have been a normal one?

An innocent Syed wouldn’t have known about his ex-girlfriend’s murder. Her body didn’t turn up for a month. On the other hand, one can argue that knowledge of his exgirlfriend’s disappearance ought to have stood out more starkly in his memory. There is no right answer here, only conjecture. “Serial� has become more than just a podcast and more than just a story. It’s become an active

community, engaged in following the case through to some definitive conclusion. After Koenig asked the audience to fund a second season, which would feature a brand new story, the asked amount was reached within a week. “Serial� is looking less like a fad and more like a rebirth of the podcast. It’s already topped the charts on iTunes, setting a record high for streams and downloads, and could signify an emerging market for the return of old-time radio storytelling. The very fact that it’s free to listen to only helps open it up to a wider and more excited audience. Koenig might just determine that Syed is truly guilty, but I guess we’ll just have to keep listening to find out.

Binghamton University’s notable alumni include prominent businessmen, athletes, actors and musicians.

And then there’s a whistler.

The four-time national and international whistling champion Chris Ullman (‘86), also known as The Happy Whistler, has become one of the greatest whistlers in the world. His favorite genres are classical, blues and show tunes, but he’s able to whistle almost anything that has a melody.

From making appearances on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno� to performing for the president of the United States in the Oval Office, the past 30 years have been a musical journey for Ullman.

The Binghamton alumnus and Long Island native whistled the national anthem before last Saturday’s basketball game. No stranger to opening for sports teams, Ullman has performed the national anthem for the Washington Nationals,

Either someone thinks it’s awesome and cool or they’ll just say ‘see ya!’ — Chris Ullman Whistling champion

Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Lakers, among many others.

While he was at BU, Ullman could be seen on his skateboard going from class to class while whistling any tune he had stuck in his head. When he wasn’t in class, he was an apprentice DJ for a classical radio show at WHRW 90.5 FM. In 1983, he had his first whistling performance at a talent show on campus in the Newing dining hall.

Ullman said he’s impressed with the current talented musical acts on campus, like Explorchestra and the “Sax Guy,� Jack Manzi, who plays his saxophone on The Object in Dickinson Community.

When asked to come up with a new nickname for Manzi, he suggested “The Objectivist,� and that he name an album “The Object of My Desire.�

For students who hope to perform after graduation, Ullman stressed that they have to be unique to stand out. “You have to be creative,�

Ullman said, stressing that marketing and venue choice are important. “There are all of these nooks and crannies around campus that I saw where you could play.�

With his own art, Ullman has expressed the struggle of being taken seriously as a musician who only whistles. His biggest challenge yet is trying to acquire a spot for the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center. “The challenge faced is a very binary thing,� Ullman said. “Either someone thinks it’s awesome and cool or they’ll just say ‘see ya!’�

Clearly, many people think it’s awesome because Ullman has

shown off his skills for some big and important audiences. The first was a performance at the U.S. Capitol where he whistled in front of 60,000 people. “It was a gig of a lifetime,�

Ullman said. “I had to pinch myself to make sure it was actually happening. I almost screwed up at it. Before I walked onto the stage I completely forgot my note. Once I walked onto the stage and started whistling muscle memory kicked in. After a minute it all caught up to me and I was back to normal.� After the show Ullman came back onto the stage and taught the entire crowed of 60,000 attendees how to whistle the song he performed.

The second performance happened in the Oval Office for President George W. Bush. While working as the White House Budget spokesman in 2001, he was invited to perform for the president during a seemingly normal day at work, and was given only 15 minutes’ notice from his boss about the performance for the commander-in-chief. He performed “The Lone Ranger� song for the president and received a great deal of praise.

After the song, Bush wrote a note to Ullman’s father about how Chris came to the Oval Office to share his gift with him.

Along with his performances, Ullman has also been a speaker at TEDxMidAtlantic in Washington, DC. During the show, he spoke about his experiences performing around the world and how much joy that he and others have received from his whistling.

At the end of both his TEDx show and the interview, he stressed how everyone should “go find your whistle.�

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6

North Pole

So you put on a bit of red and green and donned a Santa hat. So hood character. Others might say you didn’t go hard enough — into anyone’s home and you didn’t even give coal to any childre

Fun HO! HO! HO! AHHH! r Tha nks fo having me ol! over, Ca r

Couples Christmas

“I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus while getting railed by my neighbor Bill.”

Early Presents

Photos by Raquel Panitz, Staff Photographer

Warriors

ome people might say that you were perverting a beloved child— you didn’t tie any deer to a sled and ride them, you didn’t break en. You wimped out at SantaCon. Better luck next year, coward.

n.

Slushy the Snowman

7

OPINION Tuesday, December 9, 2014

The Finals Countdown S

tudents spend a lot of time complaining about final examinations and papers. No one eagerly anticipates cramming for tests or spending hours gawking at a computer screen.

Some students will never be entirely contented, but there are several ways to improve the finals examination experience — not to make it easier, but to give students the chance to do the best that they can.

First, finals need to be scheduled during finals week. For too long, the “finals examination period” listed on the Binghamton University calendar held no actual significance. This year, BU implemented a policy that all final examinations must be administered during finals week, but we have already seen that it isn’t strictly enforced.

Professors have ignored it, scheduling exams during the last week of classes.

If an exam is cumulative, students need extra time to master the material. It is unfair to give students that challenge during the

last week of classes. This isn’t because students can’t handle it, but because students can’t engage meaningfully with the material.

They must balance refining all the knowledge they have accumulated through 14 weeks of courses with completing additional tasks required during that last week. No one is reading the materials or participating in discussions when a test is looming. Major papers, too, should uniformly be due during finals week rather than in the last week of classes, so that students can meaningfully research their topics as opposed to writing a cursory essay. Some classes already do this, but for the most part, the current system endorses cramming, not learning.

Scheduling exams during the last weeks of classes leads even the most diligent

students to skip classes. Not because they don’t want to be in those classes, but because students are put in a position in which they need to prioritize studying for a test over learning new material. When one has two or three classes a day and the last one is an exam, it’s easy to make the decision to skip the earlier classes to study. This wouldn’t be a problem if exams and classes weren’t in the same week.

In combination with a determinate finals week, a designated reading period will help to ensure that students have the time required to produce quality work. Deadlines are set at the beginning of the semester, but peak performance on three exams scheduled in three consecutive days is nearly impossible, especially if final assignments are due the

preceding week. A reading period is common practice at universities across the country.

Two days without scheduled classes — perhaps on the Thursday and Friday before finals week — would allow students to fully prepare.

If Binghamton wants to market itself as a premier university, it ought to act like it.

Other universities grant students this additional time to study because they recognize the demands imposed by their high-caliber classes. BU is not an easy school, and students should not be expected to study on the fly. We aren’t asking for a break — we’re asking for more time to review the large amounts of information that we have gathered during the semester.

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.

Don't place blame on victims Misreporting does not detract from need for reform

Emma Sulkowicz, a current senior at Columbia University. After she was raped Lawrence Ciulla by a man with whom she previously Contributing Columnist had consensual sex with, she filed charges against him with the university, alongside three other victims. The administration took the word of the Last month, a story about the rapist and dismissed all charges — University of Virginia sexual violence leading Sulkowicz to protest by carrying scandal went viral in an issue of Rolling her mattress everywhere with her across Stone. It told the account of Jackie, a campus to bring attention to the gross then-freshman at the school, who was injustice handed to her. allegedly raped as a part of a fraternity The misreporting of the UVA pledging ritual. The University brushed rape case in no way diminishes the it aside, refusing to even warn students experiences of victims. No matter that an incident may have occurred. what was correctly or falsely reported, While Rolling Stone’s story is now colleges are not doing enough to help under public scrutiny for inaccuracies, the victims or to stop sexual violence.

Jackie’s experience is only one of many Many schools are sweeping these cases campus sexual assault cases mishandled under the rug and casting doubt upon this year alone. the victims in an effort to maintain the The most prominent case is that of appearance of prestige — reflecting on the academics of a school, not the people. A parent in the Rolling Stone piece summarized it best: “Nobody wants to send their daughter to the rape school.” Fraternities and young men are not the root of the problem, but the system that is required to hold them accountable continuously fails.

Universities are adapting, yet it is far too late in the eyes of victims. Many believe that universities are only doing so to protect themselves, not sexual assault victims. The State University of New York, under Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s direction, released a uniform bill of rights and definition of consent for

No matter what

was correctly or falsely reported, colleges are not doing enough

sexual assault — finally acknowledging the epidemic on college campuses.

Unfortunately, it is only one of the first university systems to do so.

The White House, too, recently began taking steps to stop sexual violence on campuses. They announced an initiative called “It’s On Us” to encourage bystander intervention and engage the public to rethink the way we approach sexual assault. Celebrities and major corporations were recruited in the effort to push college students to intervene when they see a friend being whisked away at a party. While it is a powerful initiative, it does not come close to fully addressing underlying cultural norms. Intervention should be the final step in efforts to stop sexual assault, not the first.

High-profile rape cases tend to incite a gross reaction from the public, with many putting the blame on the victim.

In the time since Rolling Stone has partially redacted its story on Jackie, the public, through Internet comments and editorials, has used the opportunity to confirm the culture of blame against the victim. We cannot allow poor reporting to chip away at the momentum of change toward the way we look and treat sexual assault victims. There is still much more to be done.

— Lawrence Ciulla is a junior majoring in philosophy, politics, and law

Open Letter to President Stenger Dear President Stenger, We, like many Black/Brown students who took part in the protests last week, have been waiting with great anticipation for your response to our recent actions. Your letter this past Saturday was encouraging because it acknowledged our right to protest in response to racist statements made by white students on social media against us. That said, we strongly believe more needed to be said by you.

To begin with, your letter disappointingly doesn’t openly condemn the recent decisions to not indict Darren Wilson and Daniel Pantaleo; the white cops who murdered Mike Brown and Eric Garner. By not explicitly doing this, you, unacceptably, took a neutral stance on an issue that has deeply angered Black/Brown people across this country. Even conservatives like Rep. Peter King have given their condolences to the family of Eric Garner and Fox News’s Bill O’Reilly openly stated all Americans needed to be deeply troubled by what happened. We believe you as President of BU are capable of going further than them by giving a definitive and decisive declaration that Binghamton University, the premier university of the Northeast, condemned the non-indictments of these officers. Or do you believe the recent decisions were justified?

Furthermore, while your support for our protests against racism is heart-warming, it is heart-breaking to see you stop there. Saying racism shouldn’t happen isn’t enough, what is needed is you making it clear that your administration will deal harshly and uncompromisingly with such racism.

Racism at Binghamton is a system that is fueled by historical inequalities, not

merely a set of posts on yik yak. The first amendment right of racist students in no way supersedes our human rights to learn and study peacefully as Black/ Brown folk on this campus. Their actions show how normalized racist attitudes have become and one of the many changes we would like to see to combat this is the creation of a required GenEd course on race and social awareness to help educate students on stereotypes and racial stigmas. Another important issue that needs to be aggressively pushed by your administration is to significantly increase the 16.6% Black, Latino, and First Peoples presence on campus. We represent roughly 50% of the people in NY State so these numbers show how underrepresented at SUNY-Binghamton we are and this must be addressed, now.

In conclusion, your letter was a positive start to what we hope is a longer conversation on how to bring about change on this campus. Your response indicates how powerful we Black/Brown students are when we combine forces to take an active stand against racism or any form of social injustice. But it will not stop here. Last week’s protests were just the beginning of the students of BU taking charge of OUR University; this is a call to action and whether you pick up or not, we will succeed in making the changes needed to make this campus a better place for all.

Toivo Asheeke, 3rd Year, Sociology PhD Program Lativia Perkins, Junior, Political Science Jesus Raul Cepin, Sophomore, Latin American and Caribbean Area Studies Program

www.bupipedream.com | December 9, 2014

9

OPINION

Grand juries spur overdue debate Comcast-Time Warner

merger hurts consumers

Brown, Garner decisions spark discussion on race and police brutality Esmeralda Murray Contributing Columnist

On Nov. 26, a St. Louis County grand jury decided to not indict Darren Wilson for the Aug. 9 shooting of Michael Brown; on Dec. 3, a Staten Island grand jury chose to not indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo for the death of Eric Garner. The circumstances surrounding Michael Brown’s shooting are crystal clear in at least one aspect: An 18-year-old man was shot multiple times by a police officer and left to bleed out in the street. The Garner incident was videotaped, allowing netizens to witness a public servant place a civilian into a chokehold — a technique banned by the NYPD

— which eventually resulted in Garner’s death.

In response to these decisions, protests erupted at Binghamton University and across the nation.

Newsfeeds buzzed with debates over the validity of the decisions.

If anything, you’re probably tired of hearing about these incidents and their aftermath. Don’t be.

These situations are not exceptional, nor are they unique — accounts of police brutality run rampant. Officers are rarely indicted in a court of law and the blood of innocent civilians has been spilled one too many times on American pavement. Only 41 policemen have been charged with murder or manslaughter over the past seven years for killings that occurred while they were on duty. Officers are seldom indicted when cases are brought against them. In response to this pattern,

we’ve fixated on two separate but strikingly similar incidents, extending awareness through social media, protests and the increasingly-popular “die-in.”

Incessant media coverage of these topics encourages a long overdue debate regarding the use of excessive force within the police system. It is important to view these unfortunate events in a larger context. These events are by no means abnormal for a country in which police use “banned” or “excessive” techniques with frequency.

Michael Brown’s shooting and Eric Garner’s death bring up uncomfortable but highly relevant subjects for public discussion.

Whether it’s about police brutality or racial tension in the United States, people are talking, and that’s exactly what we need. Discourse and awareness are key for eventual

amelioration. It is imperative that we use the national attention given to these incidents as a means to address persistent issues. The prominence of these events gives us the opportunity to examine racial disparities. Knowledge truly is power; awareness on a societal level allows us to instigate change.

The American dream preaches “justice for all,” but accounts of wrongdoing are constantly swept under the table, overlooked, silenced and left to be forgotten.

With the right level of awareness, the problematic similarities of these events may finally be addressed and brought to the forefront. Let’s make it happen.

Let’s tweet. Let’s protest. Let’s keep talking.

— Esmeralda Murray is an undeclared sophomore

Keep scheduling of final exams flexible Let professors determine final exam dates based on class needs Naomi Barnett Guest Columnist

It’s fair to assume that at this point in the semester, the majority of students just want to go home.

Students are pushing through these last weeks before finals, motivated by the prospect of freedom. The sooner final tests are turned in, the better.

For as long as I’ve been at Binghamton University, it has been common for School of Management (SOM) professors to give final tests during the last class period instead of during exam week. This always worked out. Although it was stressful to have tests with classes still in session, students could go home sooner, making the processes

of exam scheduling and moving out easier for everyone else.

This year, the school implemented a policy requiring all final exams to be held during finals week. No one in SOM is precisely sure why this is, and many professors have expressed their disagreement. Some students in other schools within BU complained of “unfairness” as SOM students were permitted to finish sooner, but each method has its pros and cons.

Instead of implementing a University-wide policy on this issue, professors should be able to decide when they want to give their final. There are many professors who would never give up their precious class time for a final exam, especially since they want to give a longer test. There are also many professors who see no reason to have a cumulative final over an

hour in time, on a week that is stressful as is.

If professors could decide their own schedule, final exam rescheduling would also decrease.

This semester, I am in J-core, the predetermined set of SOM classes for junior year. All SOM students must take these classes together, and many combine them with another SOM class for their major. When the school planned our exam schedule, however, they planned many of our exams at the same time. This affected all of the students, and the exams had to be rescheduled multiple times, since each attempt only conflicted with another SOM class and caused students to need to stay later and later in the week. Some students, who made travel plans, had to find alternatives or cancel, since the exam dates kept changing. Fewer finals during finals week would give

more flexibility to the scheduling of finals school-wide.

As an English major and an SOM student, I am accustomed to not having tests during finals week. When I heard the news this semester, I didn’t complain, but merely accepted standardization.

However, after looking at the outcomes and evaluating possible scenarios, it is easy to see that this policy change was not for the best. BU must leave the choice to faculty discretion. Professors teach us every day, not administrators.

Teachers and students alike work hard throughout the entire semester. By the end, it’s time to let them go home at whatever date suits their classes’ needs best.

—Naomi Barnett is a junior majoring in marketing and English

The FCC and DOJ cannot allow this deal to move forward David Forrest Columnist

The chorus of voices against the proposed $45.5 billion Comcast–Time Warner Cable merger just got a little more organized. A group of corporations, public interest groups and unions have joined forces under the blunt name “Stop Mega Comcast” Coalition to convince regulators to reject the proposed merger.

The group’s most compelling argument points to the fact that Comcast will control 35 percent of the broadband Internet market and one-third of paid television subscriptions in the United States. This would allow Comcast to raise prices arbitrarily at the expense of consumers and content creators. Comcast’s influence would enable the corporation to demand higher fees from content providers who would pass the increased costs to consumers.

Sen. Al Franken, D-MN has also spoken out against the proposed merger. In an interview with CNN, Sen. Franken echoed the group’s concerns, adding that the lack of outrage from other major media companies was out of fear of retaliation, not acceptance of the proposal.

Sen. Franken’s reference is warranted due to Comcast’s history of retaliation. To demonstrate this point, Netflix released documents illustrating their users’ streaming speeds on Comcast during their direct connection contract dispute.

The graph demonstrates that speed gradually dropped during the negotiations, and it jumped nearly 50 percent after the deal

was reached.

Despite their compelling arguments, neither the “Stop Mega Comcast” Coalition nor Sen. Franken have the power to decide the merger’s fate. That decision is up to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Department of Justice (DOJ). In order to hear a variety of opinions, the FCC has accepted public comments on the merger since earlier this year.

However, the merger’s opposition may be falling on deaf ears, as both corporations have considerable influence in Washington. The FCC is to determine whether the merger is in the public’s best interest.

However, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler is a former lobbyist for the cable industry. His past role may bias the FCC decision at the expense of public interest.

In addition, Comcast and Time Warner spent $19,007,680 on lobbying and campaign contributions in the 2014 election cycle.

DOJ and FCC regulators must reject this deal in order to protect consumers. If the merger is approved, the already non-competitive cable and Internet markets will worsen.

One company controlling such a large share of the market will stifle innovation and raise prices, a fate that Americans cannot afford. After all, the U.S. already lags behind European and Asian nations in Internet download speed, putting us at an economic disadvantage. In order for the U.S. to remain a technological innovator, we must ensure that our Internet utilities promote progress, not profits.

—David Forrest is a junior majoring in political science

Resist the urge to plagiarize Academic dishonesty harms students and faculty alike Derek Stampone

Contributing Columnist

Benjamin Franklin quipped, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” As a college student, I’d like to add a third certainty to the list: the stress of finals week.

The three-week period after Thanksgiving is a race against time to finish projects, write reports, study for finals and make presentations.

In times of stress and pressure, students turn to a variety of support systems to get through it all. We all have our favorite substance, illicit or not, to give us an extra boost or to take the edge off. We lean on friends, family, teaching assistants, classmates and professors to do our best in the classroom while maintaining our sanity.

Under the pressure of finals, students sometimes forget that academic integrity is the most important virtue to maintain. At a school like Binghamton University, with the best and brightest students, sometimes the pursuit of knowledge for knowledge’s

Plagarism is not a victimless crime.

sake is cast aside and an incredibly competitive environment takes hold.

In majors where a near perfect GPA is essential to post-graduation plans, the stakes are even higher.

Compound this need to get an A across multiple difficult classes and the potential for academic dishonesty increases exponentially.

There are several parallels between academic dishonesty and the practice of hazing that help to demonstrate why plagiarism must be punished severely. In the opinion of many students, these offenses aren’t really that bad. And if no one gets really hurt in the long term, what’s the harm? Some students even justify plagiarizing a dead source under reasoning that the author wouldn’t even know or care.

When an offense is truly egregious, whether a hazing death or plagiarizing an entire Ph.D. dissertation, it’s obvious to spot and condemn. Students reason that anyone stupid or malicious enough to do something that bad shouldn’t be lumped in with students committing minor, harmless offenses.

But in the same way that a zero-hazing policy is in place to prevent a few minor instances from escalating out of control, any form of academic dishonesty cannot go unnoticed and unpunished.

Whether it’s obtaining insider information from non-public previous exams or purchasing an entire paper, we must all be vigilant to prevent academic

dishonesty. Even the benign missing citation from a careless mistake or misplaced copy-andpaste is a serious offense. And yes, multiple submissions for the same assignment absolutely is plagiarism.

Sure, getting caught is embarrassing, but the harm is much more serious than that.

The blow to your credibility might be unrecoverable. You wouldn’t appreciate a journalist or a professor stealing someone else’s work. As students, we must hold ourselves to the highest possible standard.

Plagarism is not a victimless crime. Apart from causing financial harm to the author of the stolen work, plagiarism can severely impact the University’s reputation as well. That will harm all students and alumni. A recent scandal at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill led to the termination of nine faculty members and tarnished the school’s national reputation.

So when finishing up this fall semester, don’t forget to do so with honor. Years from now, it won’t matter that you didn’t ace that test, but it will matter if you lied to do it. Regardless of the intrinsic or extrinsic pressure you feel to succeed, don’t do it at the expense of your integrity.

— Derek Stampone is a physics PhD candidate

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December 9, 2014 | www.bupipedream.com

Binghamton suffers narrow defeat, 52-48, to NJIT Despite Bearcats' intensity and energy, Cougars pull away, deal BU fifth straight loss Orlaith McCaffrey Pipe Dream Sports

With 3:26 remaining in its game against New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Binghamton women’s basketball team trailed by only three.

Junior guard Kim Albrecht had just drained a jump shot to cut the deficit, 49-46, but her late effort wouldn’t be enough, as BU (1-6) dropped its fifth straight match by a score of 52-48.

The Bearcats started strong against the Highlanders (54), scoring the first points of the game and maintaining the intensity characteristic of their play this season. But even that intensity could not douse the fire that ignited Highlander sophomore guard Alana Dudley: NJIT’s assist leader racked up 11 straight points in a four minute stretch — nine of which came via 3-point baskets — to put her team up, 21-14, with 7:49 remaining in the first half.

That success from distance contributed to NJIT’s dominant 50 percent shooting clip from 3-point range in the half. “[NJIT] made shots in the first half that they haven’t made all year,” Binghamton head coach Linda Cimino said.

“Credit to them for making the shots, because they’re not a great 3-point shooting team.”

Sophomore forward Leah Horton was also integral to the Highlanders first-half success.

Horton scored four straight to increase the Bearcats’ deficit to 30-18 with 4:04 left to play before halftime. But four quick points from freshman guard Imani

Watkins and a trey from Albrecht cut the lead to eight heading into the locker room.

The Bearcats opened scoring in the second half quickly.

Watkins converted a threepoint play off of a fouled layup followed by a put-back from senior forward Sherae Swinson to cut NJIT’s lead to only one.

But the Highlanders responded promptly. They outscored the Bearcats, 8-4, to push their lead to 45-40 with 10 minutes left in the game.

Pressuring NJIT on the offensive end in the second half, Binghamton’s defense played on point, never allowing the Highlanders to lead by more than six. On that offensive end, the Bearcats remained within striking distance throughout, stalling only after Albrecht’s late score. In those final minutes, BU went scoreless until the final four seconds of the game, but it was too late, and NJIT pulled away to its four-point victory.

“We were right there and we would miss a layup and then come back and [get a] stop on defense,” Cimino said. “We would have our opportunity and then come down and get another stop on defense, so it was a little frustrating because we were right there.”

For the Bearcats, Watkins led scoring with her game-high 19 points. Swinson followed up in adding 14 points and nine rebounds for the Bearcats.

Despite trailing most of the game, BU stayed competitive throughout Saturday’s contest.

And despite capturing just one victory so far this year, Cimino

Raquel Panitz/Pipe Dream Photographer

Senior forward Sherae Swinson (right) posted 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds in BU’s 52-48 loss to NJIT on Saturday.

has continually seen signs of improvement from her team.

“The good thing is that we’re continuing to get better,” Cimino said. “We’re making adjustments and the girls are able to make the adjustments that we’re asking for, so that’s a positive to look forward to.”

The Bearcats are set to return to play on Wednesday at Colgate University. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. at Cotterell Court in Hamilton, New York.

BU VS. COLGATE UNIVERSITY DATE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10 LOCATION COTTRELL COURT, HAMILTON, NY

We're making adjustments ... so that's a positive to look forward to

TIME 7:00 P.M.

— Linda Cimino BU head coach

JASMINE SINA FRESHMAN GUARD ONE-TIME AMERICA EAST ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Currently ranked 25th in made 3-point field goals per game according to NCAA statistics Leads the conference in minutes per game, averaging 38.7 per contest IMANI WATKINS FRESHMAN GUARD TWO-TIME AMERICA EAST ROOKIE OF THE WEEK Poured in a game-high 19 points over New Jersey Institute of Technology on Saturday Ranked the AE’s top freshman in scoring at sixth overall SHERAE SWINSON SENIOR FORWARD 2013 AMERICA EAST THIRD-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE Posted 14 points through 29 minutes at NJIT on Saturday Currently ranked first in the conference in blocked shots (1.5 bpg) and free-throw percentage (92.6 percent) Ranks third in the conference in rebounding and first on the team (7.9 rpg)

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Track finds success at Page Relays Three Bearcats take first in season opener Jeffy Twitty

Assistant Sports Editor In its season opener at the Greg Page Relays this weekend, the Binghamton track team showed no signs of rust as three Bearcats on the women’s side took gold. Binghamton kicked off its year on Saturday at the annual indoor event that featured teams from across the region. Seniors Christy DiMichele and Daniella Olusoga stood atop the podium in the pole vault and pentathlon, respectively, and junior Tori Shaffer captured first in the high jump.

DiMichele — who was named an All-America East outdoor pole vaulter in 2014 — put up a mark of 12-1 in her indoor effort Saturday. Teammate Olusoga would eclipse her old personal

best of 3,443 in the pentathlon, posting 3,246 for the win in Ithaca. In the high jump event, Shaffer matched a personal best of 5-7 for her first place win.

Both DiMichele and Shaffer eclipsed the IC4A qualifying standard in their events.

In a second-place finish for Binghamton, sophomore Keishorea Armstrong posted a time of 7.48 in the women’s 60-meter race. While that time did not earn her first, the finish was good enough to break BU’s previous record time in the 60-meter of 7.57 — a record set by Armstrong last season.

Paired with a third-place finish in the women’s triple-jump, scoring 38-7, Armstrong was the only Bearcat on either side to place in the top-three of multiple events.

Junior Kierra Arthur would also take a second-place spot in the pentathlon, finishing behind Olusoga with a mark of 3,176. Freshman Sunja Joseph took second in the long jump event, recording a distance of 17-11 1/2. Rounding out the rest of the top-three female Bearcat finishers on Saturday were sophomore Sarah Osaheni, junior Nina Sarimento and sophomore Ana Herbert.

On the men’s side, junior Temi Bajulaiye would pace the team in the 500-meter race with a fourth place finish in 1:06.04.

Bajulaiye’s mark was also met IC4A qualifying standards.

The track team is next scheduled to travel back to Cornell on Jan. 9 to participate in the Southern Tier Collegiate Open.

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BU suffers narrow loss to NJIT see page 11

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Binghamton falls to Division II Caldwell, UPenn

Bearcats' skid hits seven after a pair of weekend losses keep the team winless against DI opponents E.Jay Zarett

Assistant Sports Editor

Michael Contegni/Pipe Dream Staff Photographer

Sophomore forward Nick Madray registered his first double-double of the season on Monday night, scoring a gamehigh 15 points and pulling down 10 boards in 30 minutes.

The 2014-15 season went from bad to worse for the Binghamton men’s basketball team on Monday night. After losing six consecutive games and losing team leader former guard Jordan Reed to transfer, it seemed as if the program had hit its lowest point last week.

Caldwell College challenged that perception. The Bearcats (19) never held a lead against their Division II visitors, falling, 63-52, at the Events Center and extending their losing streak to seven. The Bearcats are only the second D-I program this season to lose to a non-division opponent at home.

“Just unacceptable,” BU head coach Tommy Dempsey said. “I am embarrassed. I feel bad for our fans — they deserve better than that.

This is on me. We have to be better than this.”

The Bearcats opened the game without intensity or energy, committing turnovers on five consecutive trips down the court to open the game. On the other end of the floor, Caldwell (6-4) was picking apart the BU defense. The Cougars led 9-0, heading into the first media timeout while Binghamton had committed five turnovers and attempted only three shots in the

same span. Dempsey then benched all five of his starters, turning to a unit of bench players in search for any type of offense.

“I was just looking to get a group out there that was going to compete really hard and send a message to the guys that I didn’t think were competing as hard as they needed to,” Dempsey said.

That didn’t work. Outside of sophomore forward Nick Madray, who scored seven points and grabbed five rebounds in the period, the Bearcats failed to produce. The struggles were not limited to only the offensive end of the floor: The Cougars dominated the Bearcat defense, shooting 42.9 percent from the field and knocking down three of their five 3-point attempts.

Binghamton shot just 28.6 percent in the period, turned the ball over 12 times and headed into the locker room trailing, 28-16.

“When we look as sluggish as we looked and guys aren’t pressuring the ball and guys aren’t boxing out early in the game, to me that doesn’t look like you are ready to play,” Dempsey said. “I have to get them ready to play. We have got to be more on edge.”

Coming out of the break, it looked like Binghamton found a rhythm offensively. Madray knocked down a pair of 3-pointers early in the period, followed by

a trey from freshman forward Willie Rodriguez. A minute later, freshman forward Dusan Perovic finished a lay-up to cut the deficit to seven. It didn’t last. Binghamton reverted back to its first-half form, allowing Caldwell’s guards to penetrate into the paint and create good looks for themselves and their teammates. The visitors pushed the lead to 17 with five minutes remaining in the game.

The Bearcats increased their defensive pressure at that point, cutting the deficit to eight. But it was too little too late. Caldwell knocked down 13 consecutive free throws, ending any chance of a Binghamton comeback.

“It was a humbling loss,” Dempsey said. “We have to respond to it. The only way we can respond to it right now is to get back in here and work. We are not quitting on the season. We have 20-something games left.”

The lone bright spot on the day for BU was in Madray. He recorded his first double-double of the season, finishing the game with 15 points and 10 rebounds while nailing three 3-pointers.

Sophomore guard Marlon Beck II added 13 points and five assists.

Next up for BU is a road game at Colgate. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Cotterell Court.

CHECK BUPIPEDREAM.COM/SPORTS FOR RECAP OF SATURDAY'S MATCH AGAINST UPENN

Reed granted release from BU Perovic earns weekly award Former star to transfer from men's basketball

Forward named AE Rookie of the Week

Ashley Purdy

Ashley Purdy

Sports Editor

And just like that, the face of the Binghamton men’s basketball team is gone.

Former junior guard Jordan Reed requested and has been granted a release to transfer, Binghamton University’s athletics department announced on Friday.

The America East Preseason AllConference selection took an indefinite leave of absence on Nov. 26, and he is officially not returning.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound guard from Pennsylvania will finish out the fall academic semester at Binghamton, but will be released from his scholarship directly after. That leaves him eligible to play either at another Division I program next spring academic semester, or immediately, were he to transfer to a Division II program.

There has been no word on where Reed might be headed, however.

Reed, the America East’s leading rebounder his first two years at Binghamton, as well as the team’s leading point scorer (15.8 per game) and rebounder (8.9 per game) last year, released a statement through the University about his decision.

“Over the past two years I have come to love Binghamton University,” the statement reads.

“As a result, leaving this great university is an extremely difficult decision but I felt this was the best choice for me, my family and my future. I have truly enjoyed my time with the Binghamton basketball program. More importantly, I have established relationships with classmates, teammates, faculty members and administrators that will last a lifetime. I wish the team success for the rest of the 2014-15 season.”

“For personal reasons, I will be relocating to complete my educational experience,” Reed’s statement continues. “It’s been an honor to be a student at Binghamton and be inspired by the talented and committed faculty.

In addition to my research and study, I enjoyed participating in the community service on campus and in the Greater Binghamton area. I appreciate the directors, coaches and staff for providing me with the resources to train and develop athletically. Thank you to all of the students, faculty, staff and the community for your support.”

According to the University’s announcement, Reed does not intend to say any more on his transferring than that.

The announcement came on the heels of an optimistic remark from BU head coach Tommy Dempsey, who expressed hope at getting Reed back last Tuesday.

Dempsey even said that he and the team were looking forward to Reed’s return.

But apparently, something happened, although Dempsey either could not or would not say what.

“I’m not sure [what happened],” Dempsey said on Saturday. “[Reed has] made a decision to move on, and we supported him on his decision and now we’re moving forward with this group. And I’m excited about it.”

Though Dempsey is excited to move forward with the young team he does have, he didn’t deny that losing his star player is a definite setback. Reed, the team’s most athletic player and the face of the program up to this point, was not only a prolific rebounder and scorer but also a fount of energy for the team. He electrified crowds and led his team by example. He conducted the team through the last two

years’ struggles and remained positive about the growth of the program.

But apparently, that dream wasn’t enough to keep him at Binghamton, and now Dempsey will have to move on without him. “[Reed is] a big talent loss,” Dempsey said. “He’s a guy that has a lot of physical abilities, and he’s been through the wars. Now we have a lot of guys who haven’t been through the wars. That are going through their process. So I’d be certainly naive to sit up here and see he’s not a big loss. But it’s not something that we can dwell on. We need to turn the page and that’s all we talk about right now, is turning the page and getting better. I understand that I’m going to answer some questions about Jordan here in the short term, but moving forward, we need to talk about [freshman forward] Dusan [Perovic], and [freshman forward] Willie [Rodriguez], and [sophomore point guard] Yosef [Yacob] and [sophomore forward] Nick [Madray] and on and down the line, that’s our team right now, and that’s going to be our team moving forward. And I think it can be a good team.”

As for what larger implications Reed’s transferring will have on the program, Dempsey was dismissive.

“My plans are to be a great program,” Dempsey said. “Nothing that happened this week is going to do anything to change that.”

Sports Editor

After the week the Binghamton men’s basketball team has had, freshman forward Dusan Perovic’s America East Rookie of the Week honors are a welcome ray of sunshine.

Perovic, named for the distinction by the conference

on Monday, comes off a prolific scoring week in which he averaged 25 points over two contests. He broke the program’s Division I record for points scored in a contest, pouring in 34 over Boston University in a 77-65 loss last Wednesday. Twenty-nine of those points came in the second half; 27 of them were netted in

STATS VS. BOSTON U. & UPENN 34 PTS VS. BOSTON U. PROGRAM RECORD

I felt this was the

3-FG VS. BOSTON U. 6-OF-8 SHOOTING 75 PERCENT CLIP

best choice for me, my family and my future — Jordan Reed Former guard

just over 13 minutes.

Through that contest, the 6-foot-9 sharpshooter out of Montenegro hit 11 of 18 shots from the field, including 6 of 8 from the perimeter. That contributed to his leagueleading 61.5 percent 3-point shooting clip as of Monday afternoon.

Perovic also led Binghamton in scoring in the team’s 79-70 loss to University of Pennsylvania on Saturday. He contributed 16 points in 25 minutes, despite battling foul trouble that sent him to the bench while he was in the midst of some hot shooting stretches.

Perovic has led the Bearcats in scoring four times this season, which leads the team.

He is averaging 13.2 points in 23.3 minutes per contest so far this season.

The weekly award is the first bestowed on one of Binghamton’s rookies in the class of 2015. It is also the first the program has garnered all season.

Michael Contegni/Pipe Dream Staff Photographer

Freshman forward Dusan Perovic earned the team's first AE weekly awards on Monday after scoring a program-best 34 points against Boston University.

AVERAGE PPG: 25 FG%: .516