Fall 2018 Issue 17

Monday, October 29, 2018 | Vol. XCIV, Issue 17 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

ELECTION ISSUE 2018

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

In September, Pipe Dream partnered with Binghamton University’s Center for Civic Engagement in an effort to educate and inform voters leading up to midterm elections on Nov. 6.

BU voters will encounter at least nine races on the ballot next week. For our election issue, Pipe Dream reached out to every candidate in every race on that ballot — candidates in federal, state and local elections. We sent each candidate a questionnaire, asking them to discuss their platform, experience and campaigns. We also gathered biographical information on each candidate.

Pipe Dream is committed to informing student voters and ensuring their voices are heard. see page 4

Speaker talks atrocity prevention, outreach Program I-GMAP hosts first practitionerin-residence of the year Yuri Lee

assistant news editor

Highlighting the importance of outreach, past recognition of atrocities and preventative measures, Tibi Galis, executive director of the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation in New York, gave a talk on “Atrocity Prevention in the Age of Trump and Taylor Swift” on Thursday evening.

Approximately 25 students and faculty members gathered inside the

Admissions Center to hear from Galis, who is also the first practitioner-inresidence invited by the Institute for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention (I-GMAP) this year.

According to Max Pensky, codirector of I-GMAP and a professor of philosophy, the practitioner-inresidence program, which allows an active practitioner of atrocity prevention to come visit Binghamton University for a week, was created so that students can meet and interact with practitioners like Galis in person.

“The whole point of the Institute was to mess up the pretty traditional boundaries that separate academic

research from activism and from practice,” Pensky said. “I think it’s just wonderful for the students to just talk to somebody and ask, ‘How did you get into this; what’s your story,’ because I don’t think any of [the practitioners] said, ‘I knew from the time I was a sophomore in college that I wanted to get into atrocity prevention.’”

Galis started his talk by recognizing that BU is currently constructed on the ancestral lands of the Onondaga and Oneida people, who were victims of genocide and of abuses that resulted in deprivation. According to Galis, it is only possible to address and recognize current atrocities by effectively dealing

with past abuses that occurred in the United States, such as past atrocities against Native Americans, African Americans, Japanese Americans and the use of weapons of mass destruction in international conflict.

“Engaging with the past in a preventative way would allow for the United States as a community to get familiarized with patterns of atrocity that [are] carried out and recognize similar patterns happen in the present,” Galis said. “But if you don’t hear about something, you won’t remember it. So there’s [a] need to

see speaker page 3

Students collect donations for local charities NYPIRG hosts Trick or Eat Food Drive in Broome County Hannah Walter pipe dream news

Around 30 student volunteers gathered on Sunday to collect nonperishable food items, hygiene products and clothing from more than 1,000 houses for Community Hunger Outreach Warehouse and Project Concern, as part of the New York Public Interest Research Group’s (NYPIRG) Trick or Eat Food Drive.

Last week, Binghamton University students left plastic bags with a list of wanted items at houses around Vestal Senior High School. Donators were asked to fill the bags up with what they could and leave them outside for the collectors. The drive was planned

by NYPIRG, which hosts these types of drives biannually, in partnership with several other student groups.

Each group visited around 90

houses collecting various bags. When their cars were full, they brought the donated goods to a U-Haul at Vestal Senior High School.

Ellie Plotkin-Kaye, the president of NYPIRG and a junior majoring in biology, said the event allowed students to give back to the local community.

“This event just shows how much of a difference one student can make,” Plotkin-Kaye said. “It’s really moving to see the generosity of people who live in Binghamton and the huge bounty of donations that just pile up in our office.

It’s just a really rewarding event and it’s cool to see students of all different majors and clubs come together to work on it.”

Thomas Dowling, a member of NYPIRG and a sophomore majoring in political science, said he decided to participate because he believes food security is important to the local area.

“The Southern Tier, especially Downtown Binghamton, has so

see donations page 3

ARTS & CULTURE

rose coschignano staff photographer A volunteer leaves a plastic bag filled with donated items at a home as part of New York Public Interest Research Group’s (NYPRIG) Trick or Eat event on Sunday.

OPINIONS

celebrates second anniversary BC HEARS assists local residents with re-enrollment Jeremy Rubino

contributing writer

In partnership with Binghamton University and Broome Community College, Broome County Higher Education Access, Retention and Success (BC HEARS) assists Broome County residents with academic, institutional and personal barriers. Educational tutors and staff help residents directly through community events, counseling and instruction to complete equivalency tests and enroll or re-enroll into college.

Launched in July 2016, BC HEARS began providing skilled mentors that help with literacy training, study- and test-skill development, job search support and personal and professional growth. This process of enrolling and reenrolling Broome County residents is a central mission of the program, hosting community service events at local institutions to attract and interact with prospective students.

According to its second-year progress report, BC HEARS staff has provided services to approximately 290 community members. The services include workshops, secondary education equivalency enrollment, tutoring and summer reading programs.

BC HEARS has helped four participants

see program page 3

SPORTS

Get in the spooky spirit with Pipe Scream,

VSA hosted its annual Miss Asia contest on Oct. 26,

Contributing columnist Sophia LoBiondo argues for the implementation of early foreign language education,

Women’s swimming and diving takes down Colgate at home,

Cross country turns in solid performance at AE Championship,

SEE PAGE 8

SEE PAGE 9

SEE PAGE 7

SEE PAGE 11

SEE PAGE 12

PAGE II Monday, October 2018 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,29, 2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

Address: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902 607-777-2515 FAx: 607-777-2600 Web: bupipedream.com

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Just Dance

FALL 2018

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rose coschignano staff photographer Samuel Elikem Kwame Nyamuame, visiting assistant professor of music, hosts a ‘heART IN MOTION’ dance lesson in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

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stabilizing:kiwi

politicians:destabilizing

This Day in History Oct. 29, 1929

LOCAL NEWS

Boy receives wheelchair-accessible van from community Cooper Knapick, 11, of the town of Maine, and his family bought a wheelchair-accessible van this weekend after a neighbor started a GoFundMe for him, according to WBNG. The neighbor, Kim Hayden, started the GoFundMe in July and raised over $30,000.

Knapick was born with cerebral palsy and has been confined to a wheelchair for his entire life.

Binghamton University, Boston University students collect food and money for local food banks Members of honors fraternity Sigma Alpha Lambda from Binghamton University and Boston University competed on Friday to see who could collect more food for their community, according to WBNG. Binghamton University students supported the Food Bank of the Southern Tier by collecting nonperishable food items on campus with a car they decorated for Halloween.

Drug trafficking investigation leads to five Binghamton arrests The Broome County Special Investigations Unit Task Force and Metro SWAT raided Susquehanna Street residences last week, according to the Press & Sun-Bulletin. Authorities found crack cocaine and $834 in cash, which they believe was from drug sales. Five arrests were made.

NATIONAL NEWS

Anti-Semitic shooter targets Pittsburgh synagogue, kills 11 A gunman armed with an assault rifle entered the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh on Saturday morning and opened fire, according to The New York Times.

Eleven of the congregants died and two were injured. Additionally, four police officers were injured while attempting to apprehend the suspect. The shooter eventually surrendered. Federal officials have charged the shooter with 29 criminal counts. He also faces 36 state charges.

“We know that we as a society are better than this. We know that hatred will never win out, that those that try to divide us because of the way we pray, or where our families are from around the world, will lose.”

—Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, in response to a shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue that killed 11 congregants on Saturday morning.

The Wall Street stock market crashes. The day, known as “Black Tuesday,” marks the beginning of the Great Depression.

Police Watch The following accounts were provided by Investigator Robert Meddleton of Binghamton’s New York State University Police.

No propane TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 3:30 p.m. — A Physical Facilities employee contacted police after they were notified through their switchboard that the Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center lost all access to its propane on Oct. 21 at 11:05 a.m.

The lack of propane caused issues for Binghamton University Dining Services and its employees as it occurred during peak lunch hours and on open house weekend. After reviewing surveillance footage, police observed a 35-year-old male suspect activate the power panel for the propane.

Charges are pending.

Laundry thief TUESDAY, Oct. 23, 9:42 p.m. — Officers responded to Delaware Hall of Newing College after receiving a call from a 21-yearold female. The female said she placed her white Converse sneakers in the dryer around 6 p.m., and when she returned to get her belongings, the sneakers were gone. This is the fourth report of items stolen from the Delaware Hall laundry room.

Police are advising residents to call them if they see anything suspicious.

Scamming WEDNESDAY, Oct. 24, 12:19 p.m. — A 30-yearold male contacted UPD after he received a call from an unknown person claiming to be a U.S. Social Security Administration representative.

The unknown suspect told the male he was under investigation and asked him to confirm his social

Christine DeRosa Contributing Writer

security number. The male confirmed the number and was told that his bank account would be shut down unless he paid Social Security a specific sum of money. Under instructions from the unknown suspect, the victim withdrew money from his account and converted the money to cash cards. The suspect asked for the numbers on the cash cards; however, the male said he wouldn’t give the suspect the numbers without seeing proof that the call was legitimate. The suspect promised to call back and hung up. The male said he has not heard from the suspect since. Police are advising campus community members to contact them if they receive a similar call.

Medical marijuana THURSDAY, Oct. 25, 11:21 p.m. — An officer on patrol was traveling northbound on Glenn G. Bartle Drive when he noticed a vehicle containing four males parked in the right lane of the traffic circle. As the officer’s vehicle approached the car, the vehicle began driving away. When the officer stopped the vehicle, the driver presented his New York state medical marijuana card as ID and said the group had just driven from New York City in order to visit a friend. The officer smelled marijuana and asked if the males had smoked any. They said they had not, but the officer had probable cause to search their vehicle. During the search, the officer found a glass bong, five cartridges of cannabis oil, a small jar containing wax, a bag of plant matter that later tested positive for marijuana, a vaporizer pen and a large torch lighter. The driver claimed ownership of the items, and the officer informed him that his card did not cover several of the items found. The male was arrested and was issued an appearance ticket for Vestal Town Court.

bupipedream.com | October 29, 2018

NEWS

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Tibi Galis discusses benefits, disadvantages of social media speaker from page 1 need to hear more about these things in order to recognize these things and influence our current actions.”

Galis also discussed the benefits and detriments of social media after Taylor Swift’s recent endorsement of former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, Democratic senatorial candidate, and Rep. Jim Cooper on Instagram. For Galis, Swift’s endorsements were encouraging as it increased civic engagement and mobilization among young people, but simultaneously worrying because Swift had to speak out about her political beliefs in response to extreme right groups calling her their “Aryan Goddess” and labeling her a covert Nazi.

“As a worker of the Auschwitz Institute, we’ve been waiting

for these types of discussions to happen in the public sphere for a while and it’s nice that it happened as a result of this,” Galis said. “But I also think that the very concerning part is that this happened also in an environment where this had to happen because it was a reaction to the visibility of the extreme right circle.”

Donna Parlato, a second-year graduate student studying public administration, said that although social media has led to the #MeToo movement, the Black Lives Matter movement and March for Our Lives, it has also led to the spread of hate speech and fake news, which she has personally experienced.

“I spread something that was fake, that I thought was real, because it hit all my

biases,” Parlato said. “People were doing a GoFundMe for the two guys that got fired from Jazzman’s and I thought they got fired because they

harassing women. But it hit all my biases and I was like, ‘Of course, share.’”

According to Galis, new leaderships like the Trump

“Engaging with the past in a preventative way would allow for the United States as a community to get familiarized with patterns of atrocity that is carried out and recognize similar patterns happen in the present. But if you don’t hear about something, you won’t remember it.”

— Tibi Galis EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AUSCHWITZ INSTITUTE FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION IN NEW YORK

were giving away free samples, but no, they were sexually

administration argue that marginalized groups are the real

or imagined problems of society, and that the only solution is to further marginalize them.

This makes bureaucracies of atrocity prevention in a difficult situation, according to Galis, as they can only choose to follow the leadership that works to dismantle minority protection or fight the terms set by the leadership, which would not respect the wills of the people that elected the current leadership.

For Julia Steitz, a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, talks like Tibi’s are important to have, especially during Trump’s presidency, because it allows more people to be informed about the actual situation of current events instead of just learning about it through social media.

“We need to do the best we

can to be informed, and we really need to choose the platforms that are advocating for people, minorities and immigration,” Steitz said. “That’s why being informed all the time is so important because if you fix the root, then it’ll probably blossom into something much nicer.”

Galis concluded his talk by discussing the potential future of atrocity prevention.

“I do believe that one day, the voices of the people who work in this area will have more leverage than the consequences of the naming of Taylor Swift’s cat, and we are very engaged in this process,” Galis said. “Nonetheless, we are very concerned that this is becoming such a central topic that it permeates in pop culture, and also happy that people are finally thinking about these issues.”

Student groups talk domestic abuse BC HEARS sees lack of engagement Forum explores abuse in mainstream culture Gitl-Yevgeniya Driker

program from page 1

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Women’s Student Union (WSU), College Progressives and Rainbow Pride Union (RPU) came together to host a discussion about domestic violence and the way it is viewed and reinforced by current culture.

Roughly 30 students gathered on Thursday evening in the University Union. They were joined by Haley Murphy, a representative of the Crime Victims Assistance Center, a local organization that provides support for victims through counseling and educational programming.

Sarah Voegler, president of RPU and a senior majoring in history, said the purpose of the event was to look at domestic violence from different perspectives.

“Our main goal tonight is to take a look at domestic violence, since it is the theme of the month, and to really dissect the mainstream depictions of it and the kind of traditional narrative of describing domestic violence, looking at how that can be problematic and also looking at it for people whose voices may not typically be heard,” Voegler said.

Sarah Wood, president of WSU and a senior majoring in human development, and Erica Prush, a senior majoring in English, led the discussion.

However, attendees participated in the talk by discussing how domestic violence is sometimes romanticized in media and

earn their high school equivalency through weekly tutoring sessions at the Broome County Public Library. The tutors are primarily BU students seeking to involve themselves more with the local community.

Erin Marulli, assistant director of BC HEARS, wrote in an email that the program’s success is attributed to extensive partnerships within the county.

“BC HEARS works with a variety of agencies, both on and off-campus, to facilitate access to and success in education,” Marulli wrote. “At both Binghamton University and SUNY Broome, HEARS works with academic departments, advising offices, admissions and the registrar.”

On the topic of the enrollment and re-enrollment process, Marulli stated that every individual applying for the program comes from different backgrounds and factors. Instead, BC HEARS staff tailors specific academic plans toward these individuals after they meet the admissions requirements.

“BC HEARS supports their participants by providing oneon-one tailored support,” Marulli wrote. “Oftentimes, we are able to access information or responses from the academic institution faster than a student can so we are providing rapid detailed information to avoiding holding up the process.”

Cory Rusin, the student success coordinator for BC HEARS and a second-year graduate student studying philosophy at BU, helps

contributing writer

sidney slon staff photographer Binghamton University’s Women’s Student Union, College Progressives and Rainbow Pride Union host a discussion about domestic violence and the way it is viewed and reinforced by today’s current culture on Thursday evening in the University Union.

how there is little media representation of domestic violence in minority groups.

They also discussed Binghamton University’s attempts at addressing domestic violence and sexual assault, such as the events dedicated to these issues at orientation. The attendees discussed early signs of domestic abuse, which, according to Murphy, include isolating one’s partner, getting angry over trivial things and guilt-tripping.

Murphy also touched on the cycle of abuse, a term for when an abuser tries to counteract their verbal or physical abuse with gifts and reassuring they won’t do it again, whereafter things return to normal until the cycle repeats.

Jacob Chank, a senior majoring in history, said attending the event was

important for him, as a male, in order to learn more about what he can do to thwart the effects of domestic violence.

“Personally, I think that, as a man complicit in patriarchy, it’s important to support women and nonbinary folks in spaces like these and try to actively counteract the oppressions that you might knowingly or unknowingly bring forth,” Chank said. “I hope that this leads to good discussion about domestic violence, especially on our campus.”

Jacqueline Carey, a junior majoring in psychology, said the groups hosted a safe place to discuss the multidimensional issues of domestic violence.

“I thought of new things that I didn’t think of when considering domestic violence,”

Carey said. “It’s nice to talk about serious issues in a space where it’s OK to be wrong sometimes, because then you’ll be corrected and no one will attack you and that’s good.”

Voegler said the event was able to touch on issues that involve members of the co-hosting student groups.

“The event was a really great collaboration of the three groups,” Voegler said. “It was able to touch on attributes that affect not only the queer community, but also the constituencies of each of our three groups, so that was a really great moment. And I also just liked the format of the meeting because it was very Socratic, almost when people had a thought, they could just say it. It was a safe and comfortable space, so that’s always a plus.”

students enroll or re-enroll in school and said her job focuses on guiding students through their barriers.

“My role as a student success coordinator is to figure out what walls stand in the way for a student to return or to enroll for the first time,” Rusin said. “Once we figure out what makes up that wall, it’s figuring out how to break it down, piece by piece.”

Rusin, along with the rest of the program’s team, utilizes community-based organizations and nonprofits in the area to obtain referrals of students and community members who are looking to complete their high school equivalency and go beyond.

However, according to its second-year progress report, BC HEARS’ partnerships with some local organizations have waned and low community participation persists, blocking progress.

According to Marulli, BC HEARS has been working to overcome these obstacles by implementing two-way referral processes and providing incentives to attend meetings.

In the future, BC HEARS intends to complete two research projects that involve enrollment and retention and Broome County’s higher education attainment gap. To supplement these efforts, the program has been granted funding through January 2020, which seeks to continue focusing on community empowerment, providing resident accessibility to educational services and facilitating enrollment and completion.

Volunteers Walk raises awareness for autism visit over 1,000 local houses Autism Speaks U hosts Halloween event Christine DeRosa

contributing writer

donations from page 1 much poverty in it,” Dowling said. “I think it’s important for students to be able to give back to the community. Even though we’re only going to be here for four years, it’s so important to give back because Binghamton has so many resources that we take advantage of, so I think that we have to be able to pay it forward.”

According to PlotkinKaye, NYPIRG doesn’t know the total number of goods amassed during this specific event yet.

However, the group has been able to collect more than 2,600 pounds of donations during the past two semesters.

Due to the timing of the event, organizers

made the drive Halloween-themed.

In the past, they’ve hosted events related to Women’s History Month and one focused on the start of the school year. According to NYPRIG members, year after year, the drives remain their most successful programs.

Maeve McGee, a junior majoring in environmental studies, said she thought the event was impactful because it led to the whole community pitching in.

“I think the community members also really enjoy feeling like they are giving back, too, because it’s so easy for people to give $3 worth of canned goods and really help people,” McGee said.

Donning costumes of characters from “Monsters, Inc.,” “Space Jam” and other children’s movies, students gathered at the Peace Quad to raise awareness of people with autism at the first Spooktacular Walk on Sunday afternoon.

Hosted by Binghamton University’s chapter of Autism Speaks U, a national organization that works to engage college campuses and communities through awareness, education and fundraising, the walk required participants to pay a $5 registration fee. They had the option to participate in a 5K or walk around the Peace Quad while trick-or-treating for candy.

Alyssa Goodman, the vice president of Autism Speaks U and a senior majoring in psychology, said Halloween can be especially anxiety-inducing for people with autism or those on the spectrum because it can be overstimulating.

“We wanted to organize an

christine derosa contributing photographer Students gather in the Peace Quad to raise awareness of people with autism at the first Spooktacular Walk, hosted by Binghamton University’s chapter of Autism Speaks U.

event inclusive to the autism community because trick-ortreating can be overwhelming,” Goodman said. “Trick-or-treating could be sensory overload with costumes, noises and decorations.”

According to Autism Speaks’ website, those with autism can experience hypersensitivity to stimuli involving the five senses.

The website also states that

many people on the spectrum are hypersensitive to bright lights and certain sounds are overwhelming.

Halloween, a holiday aimed around being scared for fun, can pose a problem.

Goodman noted the event was planned so community members could trick or treat safely or practice trick-or-treating so they would be ready for Halloween.

According to members of the group, loud noises such as kids running around excitedly, scary decorations and new experiences such as going to strangers’ homes could overwhelm children with autism, making Halloween less fun for them.

Kerri Percoco, the president of Autism Speaks U and a senior majoring in psychology, said kids also find themselves speaking to strangers while trick-or-treating, which can overwhelm a child with autism.

“When I was younger and trickor-treating, people would always want us to say ‘trick or treat,’ but some people with autism cannot speak,” Percoco said.

Emily Blank, the event coordinator and a sophomore double-majoring in psychology and human development, said she was looking forward to collaborating with the local community.

“I was most excited for people from the community coming and participating,” said Blank.

According to Percoco and Goodman, the group plans to use the funds raised from the event to fund their club and plan future events.

4

NEWS

bupipedream.com | October 29, 2018

ELECTION ISSUE 2018 U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES concerns of people in this district? How do you propose to address those concerns?

Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi (D) Anthony Brindisi is the Democratic candidate for New York’s 22nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Currently, Brindisi represents New York’s 119th assembly district in the New York State Assembly. Brindisi has been an assemblyman since 2011. He is originally from Utica, New York, and earned his law degree from the University at Albany.

What do you see as the biggest

“Talking to people across the district, some of the issues that always come up are health care and student debt. These are some of the biggest concerns in the district because they’re two major expenses working people have to deal with that have grown out of control. I want to stop the attacks on the Affordable Care Act that are being pushed by the insurance and drug companies to keep health care expensive. We should restore the subsidies that help keep costs down, keep protections for pre-existing conditions and allow the government to negotiate drug prices. On student debt, the crushing burden of $1.5 trillion in student debt in this country is keeping people from buying houses, starting businesses and saving for retirement. I want the federal government to lower the student loan interest rate, which right now acts like a tax on going to college. I also think we need stronger oversight of the financial industry to crack

down on abusive lenders that are driving young people into debt.”

If elected, how do you plan to communicate with the people in your district?

“I think it is impossible to be a good representative without listening to your constituents.

It’s the only way you can hear about the issues people really care about and it’s how you remain responsive to the people you represent. During this campaign, I’ve held an open town hall meeting in every single county in the district, and I’ll continue to do that in Congress. I’ve made a point to visit colleges and universities across the district, including Binghamton University, so that I can earn your support and hear about what issues you want me to fight for. [In addition to] holding frequent town halls, I’ll make sure that my office is responsive to everyone who reaches out for help. I’ll send out explanations for why I voted a certain way on key bills and make sure my office responds to all constituent service requests within 48 hours.”

What is your plan to address gun violence in the United States? What needs to change at the federal level?

“There are several proposals that would reduce gun violence that have widespread support among Republicans and Democrats. I support expanding background checks, banning bump stocks and enacting measures to prevent those convicted of domestic violence from possessing firearms. At the federal level, we need more representatives who can stand up to the gun lobby and push for solutions. In Congress, I’ll support any bipartisan measure that will help cut down on gun violence.”

Why should students and young people across New York vote for you?

“One thing that many students that I’ve spoken to are concerned about is the role of money in politics. They should be worried, because when you look at the votes that my opponent has taken, you can always follow the money to see

What do you see as the biggest concerns of people in this district? How do you propose to address those concerns?

Rep. Claudia Tenney (R) Rep. Claudia Tenney is the Republican candidate for New York’s 22nd congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. Before being elected as congresswoman in 2016, Tenney represented New York’s 101st assembly district in the New York State Assembly for six years. She is originally from New Hartford, New York, and holds a law degree from the Taft College of Law at the University of Cincinnati

“As a small business owner who raised her son as a single mother, I know well the impact that high taxes and over-regulation have on an individual’s and business’ ability to grow and thrive. New York state has seen the highest out-migration of jobs and people since 2010, a direct result of the high taxes and failed policies coming out of Albany.

That is why I voted to overturn burdensome and unnecessary regulations at the federal level and supported passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which provided once-in-a-generation relief to [middle-class] families, who will receive a tax cut of $1,400 per year on average, allowing them to keep more of their hard-earned money.”

If elected, how do you plan to communicate with the people in

pipe dream archives

your district?

“Just as I have throughout my first term, I will continue to travel across the district hearing directly from hardworking New Yorkers, family farmers, small business owners and families suffering from the opioid

epidemic. In [my] first two years, I have had the opportunity to meet with truly remarkable constituents who have shared great ideas and thoughts on how we can turn the tide in our communities. Many of these conversations have influenced the way I vote and

sidney slon staff photographer

how they benefit her corporate donors at the expense of her constituents. College students can’t donate as much as billion dollar corporations, but they deserve to have their voice heard. That’s why I don’t take any corporate PAC money. I want to be accountable to the students and the people of our district, not to big donors.

In Congress, I’ll fight for the things students care most

about. I’ll work to address the student loan crisis and ease the burden of student loan debt. I’ll fight for measures to combat climate change and create more green jobs. Young people in this district need someone who will hear them out and fight for them in Washington.

Unfortunately our current representative isn’t interested in hearing from the people she represents.”

the legislation I introduce. I will continue to hold open forums and discussions with national and local leaders on how best to address the most pressing issues facing our district.”

to advocate for the rights of law-abiding gun owners while identifying ways to prevent guns from ending up in the hands of those who wish to do harm to others.”

What is your plan to address gun violence in the United States? What needs to change at the federal level?

Why should students and young people across New York vote for you?

“I voted in favor of the Fix NICS Act [of 2017] (HR 4477), which addressed a deficiency on the part of federal, local and state agencies and their failure to include information that would prevent guns from falling into the hands of individuals who had criminal records or were suffering from various forms of mental illness. I also co-sponsored the Securing Our Schools Act of 2018 (HR 4811), which provides grants to educational agencies to purchase and install emergency notification devices. As a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, I will continue

“In my time in the New York State Assembly and the U.S. House of Representatives, I have been laser-focused on policies that will enable students who attend college in the district to stay here and obtain high-paying jobs after graduation. I have worked with President [Donald] Trump to secure more than $1 billion for career and technical education to provide students who may not want to attend a four-year college the opportunity to learn a skill or a trade in various fields. I will continue to advocate for policies that drive down the cost of student loans while ensuring greater access to higher education for all.”

U.S. SENATE Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is the Democratic candidate for one of New York’s seats in the U.S. Senate. Before being appointed as senator in 2009 to fill a vacancy left by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Gillibrand served as the representative for New York’s 20th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. She is originally from Albany, New York, and holds a law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D)

Gillibrand’s campaign did not respond to Pipe Dream’s questionnaire request.

Chele Farley is the Republican candidate for one of New York’s seats in the U.S. Senate. Farley is a private equity executive and has worked in finance for more than 20 years. Last year, she was appointed finance chair for New York City by the New York Republican Party. Farley lives in Manhattan and holds a degree in industrial engineering from Stanford University.

Farley’s campaign did not respond to Pipe Dream’s questionnaire request.

Chele Farley (R)

bupipedream.com | October 29, 2018

NEWS

5

NEW YORK GOVERNOR the 2016 presidential election.

Hawkins is originally from San Francisco, California , and currently lives in Syracuse, New York.

Fighting corruption at the state level is a big concern for citizens across New York during this election cycle. What is your plan to tackle corruption in Albany?

Howie Hawkins (G) Howie Hawkins is the Green Party candidate for governor of New York. He is running alongside Jia Lee, Green Party candidate for lieutenant governor. As a young adult, Hawkins was involved in political activism, and was one of the founding members of the Green Party. He has previously run for New York governor and for U.S. Senate. He was also Jill Stein’s running mate for vice president when she ran in

“Enact full public campaign finance. Reopen the Moreland Commission on Public Corruption. Close the LLC loophole. Ban campaign donations from state lobbyists and contractors. Replace the politician-appointed Joint Commission on Public Ethics with an independent ethics oversight commission. Full-time legislators with limits on outside income. Term limits, two fouryear terms for state executive offices and six two-year terms for state legislators.”

What, in your opinion, are the biggest issues facing New York?

How do you plan to handle them?

a degree in anthropology from the University of Maryland.

Sharpe has worked as an English teacher and an entrepreneur.

He was a candidate for the 2016 Libertarian vice presidential nomination.

Larry Sharpe (L) Larry Sharpe is the Libertarian candidate for governor of New York. He is running alongside Andrew Hollister, Libertarian candidate for lieutenant governor. Sharpe enlisted in the U.S. Marines Corps when he was 17 years old and holds

Stephanie Miner (SAM) Stephanie Miner is the Serve America Movement candidate for governor of New York. Miner is running alongside Michael Volpe, the Serve America Movement candidate for lieutenant governor. Miner served as mayor of Syracuse, New York for nine years. She holds a law degree

Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D)

“The two biggest issues are the climate emergency and the concentration of income, wealth and power in the hands of the 1 percent. I will push for passage of the New York Off Fossil Fuels Act, a program to reach 100 percent clean energy by 2030, which is what the climate science says we must do to avert runaway global warming and climate catastrophe. New York has the most unequal distribution of income of any state in the nation. The share of state income going to the top 1 percent has grown from 12 percent in 1980 to 31 percent today. I will tax the 1 percent in order to revitalize public services and infrastructure, from fully funding public schools to fixing New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). That will create hundreds of thousands of good jobs, purchasing power will increase and private businesses will expand and hire to meet the new demand. We call it the Green New Deal.”

the control of elected officials.

That way, there can be some accountability at the ballot box.

No longer will politicians like [Gov. Andrew Cuomo] be able to throw up their hands and say that it wasn’t their fault or responsibility.

Fighting corruption at the state level is a big concern for citizens across New York during this election cycle. What is your plan to tackle corruption in Albany?

What, in your opinion, are the biggest issues facing New York?

How do you plan to handle them?

“I will create an Office of Transparency that will ensure that everything, at all levels of government, is transparent. After all, threats of longer sentences don’t deter corruption — the threat of being caught does. I will also try to get rid of all of the various boards and corporations that the government owns and bring their power directly under

“The biggest issues are the poor economy and related mass migration out of the state, the poor education system and the general incompetence. I will fix the economy by making New York a hire-friendly state and removing overly restrictive laws from the books. For education, I want to let teachers teach and get rid of the constant standardized

from the University at Buffalo.

contributions that circumvent donation limits.”

Fighting corruption at the state level is a big concern for citizens across New York during this election cycle. What is your plan to tackle corruption in Albany?

What, in your opinion, are the biggest issues facing New York?

How do you plan to handle them?

“Our state has a culture of corruption. No branch of government has been untouched by scandal, often resulting in ethical or criminal charges. Our current system clearly does not do an effective job of monitoring itself. We will eliminate [the] Joint Commission on Public Ethics and replace it with an independent entity similar to the model used by the judiciary, which monitors elected officials and autonomously investigates as necessary, limit outside compensation of statewide officials and state legislators to 25 percent of their salaries and ban anonymous campaign

“The biggest challenge facing New Yorkers are high costs and poor-quality services. Instead of investing in infrastructure, Albany spent $10 billion on tax breaks for campaign contributors with no results to show for it. Every single one of [Gov.] Andrew Cuomo’s signature economic development initiatives has been a failure.

Worse, people are going to jail for their role in perpetrating them. Meanwhile, our mass transit, road, water, energy and Internet services are in disrepair.

We will abolish economic development giveaways and invest in our crumbling

like Pell Grants, are committed to tuition. It doesn’t help with living expenses. I will enact real tuition-free SUNY and CUNY. It will cost about 1 percent of the state budget. That is a good investment.”

Why should students and young people across New York vote for you?

students qualified for the Excelsior Scholarship. Workingclass students who must attend school part-time because they have to work to pay the rent and support their families are not helped by the Excelsior Scholarship. Excelsior is a lastdollar scholarship, meaning it is granted only after all other aid,

“The Democrats and Republicans have left students and young people a mess. One point six trillion dollars in student debt. The rich getting richer while the rest struggle with stagnant wages as the rent, property taxes, health care and college costs rise. Pay-toplay corruption in Albany and Washington. An accelerating climate crisis. Real solutions can’t wait. The Green Party is fighting for them. Don’t waste your vote on one of the two government parties of the twoparty corporate state. Vote for the changes you want and make the politicians come to you.

Vote Green.”

further efforts to make education accessible and affordable to young people across the state?

into the workforce, then that money will be saved for later use.”

“The Excelsior Scholarship is a glorified loan that gets waived if you don’t leave the state. If you do leave the state, then you have to pay it in full. I’m calling my plan the K-10 plan. It’s inspired by what Europe does for their higher education. High school ends with 10th grade, but after that, you have the option for two years of free college that’s not just a loan. That money that would have gone to 11th and 12th grades can also be taken by students and used for trade and vocational schooling. After all, university may not be for everyone, but there’s no reason we should have an underclass the way that we have now. If someone prefers to go straight

Why should students and young people across New York vote for you?

for the Excelsior Scholarship was rejected. In practice, the program has too many barriers and strings attached, preventing many from being able to take advantage of it. In addition to reducing barriers to the Excelsior program, we will expand course access, including online options for the 54 percent of New York students who do not have access to AP courses.

Students who take AP courses are more likely to matriculate and graduate college, particularly among low-income students. We will also make it easier to apply credits from an associate’s degree to a bachelor’s program, earn credits before college through apprenticeships, work and volunteer experiences and invest in college and career school models.”

for you?

jacob hanna pipe dream photographer

The implementation of the Excelsior Scholarship radically changed New York’s postsecondary education landscape. How do you plan to further efforts to make education accessible and affordable to young people across the state?

“Only 3 percent of SUNY

tests that schools give. While this will make the schools lose federal funding, the money will be more than made up for by not needing as many administrators. Besides transparency and accountability, there are a lot of small reforms needed to improve government competence. For example, to deal with environmental disasters, I will form an Environmental Victims Unit made up of experts like engineers and environmental hygienists to investigate environmental crimes. I will also remove liability caps for environmental disasters and ensure that cleanup and victims are prioritized.”

The implementation of the Excelsior Scholarship radically changed New York’s postsecondary education landscape. How do you plan to

infrastructure. We will use data and evidence to drive decisionmaking and coordinate across private- and public-sector agencies to stretch dollars and deliver measurable progress for residents. In New York City, we will fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to bring subways into good repair, and for the 57 counties outside of New York City, we will take over Medicaid costs and reduce property taxes.”

The implementation of the Excelsior Scholarship radically changed New York’s postsecondary education landscape. How do you plan to further efforts to make education accessible and affordable to young people across the state?

“Despite Cuomo’s promise of a free college education, three out of every four applicants

Why should students and young people across New York vote

“I want the government to treat you more like adults and start letting you make choices for yourself at 16. This will allow you to learn, grow and make mistakes early while you are still living with your parents instead of after you are living on your own. I want to create an environment where you will want to stay with good jobs and opportunity. I also want to legalize cannabis and regulate it like onions. I want adults as young as 18 years old to be able to consume it recreationally, if they wish.”

“I believe that younger generations in New York recognize that the two-party system has failed to address the problems New Yorkers face.

New York is not working. One million people have left to seek opportunity elsewhere since 2010. Economic growth upstate trails the nation by 50 percent, and our subways don’t work downstate. This has a significant impact on young people, who traditionally earn less, have more debt and are more mobile than older New Yorkers. If we don’t invest in our underlying ability to create economic opportunity for all New Yorkers, we may see an entire generation walk out the door. I grew up here, I went to school here and I know that young people [can] thrive in New York if we just clear a path for them to do it.”

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is the Democratic candidate for governor of New York. He is running alongside Kathy Hochul, Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor. Elected in 2010, Cuomo previously served as an assistant district attorney in New York City, chair of the New York City Homeless Commission and attorney general of New York. He is originally from Queens and holds a law degree from the University at Albany.

Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro is the Republican candidate for governor of New York. Molinaro is running alongside Julie Killian, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor. Before becoming Dutchess County executive, Molinaro served as a member of the New York State Assembly and was elected mayor of Tivoli, New York at 19 years old. He lives in Tivoli and holds a degree from Dutchess County Community College.

Cuomo’s campaign did not respond to Pipe Dream’s questionnaire request.

Molinaro’s campaign did not respond to Pipe Dream’s questionnaire request.

Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro (R)

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6

NEWS

bupipedream.com | October 29, 2018

BROOME COUNTY SHERIFF 50 years.

Safety and security are a major concern in areas across the county. How do you plan to address concerns regarding crime, specifically in Binghamton and Johnson City?

Sheriff David Harder (R) Sheriff David Harder is the Republican candidate for Broome County sheriff. Elected in 1998, Harder has been in law enforcement for more than

“The Broome County Sheriff’s Office works in conjunction with the Binghamton and Johnson City Police Departments to protect and serve the residents within these districts. For example, we partnered with Binghamton in a program called GIVE (GunInvolved Violence Elimination), which works to reduce and prevent firearm-related crimes.

I was also a founding member of the Special Investigations Unit,

Safety and security are a major concern in areas across the county. How do you plan to address concerns regarding crime, specifically in Binghamton and Johnson City?

Matthew Ryan (WF) Matthew Ryan is the Working Families candidate for Broome County sheriff. Ryan previously served as a public defender and a youth counselor. In 2006, he was elected as city of Binghamton mayor and served two terms.

Ryan holds a law degree from the CUNY School of Law.

“I agree that safety and security are a major concern across the county. But if we truly care about these goals, we need a totally different approach toward those who become involved in the criminal justice system. If elected sheriff, I will institute policies that will include a robust community policing model.

I will bring the concepts of restorative justice to the system.

Restorative justice focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders and the community at large.

The current model, practiced for decades, has created an ‘us against them’ mentality and does nothing to change the dynamics that lead to crime in the first

which allows members of my agency to work alongside local officers to take dangerous drugs and dealers off the streets. I have a great working relationship with Chief [Joseph] Zikuski (BPD) and Chief [Brent] Dodge (JCPD) and [we] are always looking for creative solutions to keep students and community members safe.”

Recently, activists have voiced concerns about conditions in the Broome County Jail, which the Sheriff’s Office oversees.

What are your thoughts on the jail’s current conditions and what changes would you make, if any?

“One of [my] main responsibilities as sheriff is

place. We, as a community, can save the taxpayers money while improving public safety, if we become smart and innovative in how we deal with crime.”

Recently, activists have voiced concerns about conditions in the Broome County Jail, which the Sheriff’s Office oversees. What are your thoughts on the jail’s current conditions and what changes would you make, if any?

“The conditions at the jail are alarming and are one of the main reasons I decided to run for sheriff. The mounting numbers of those who have committed suicide or died from lack of good medical care are completely unacceptable. If elected sheriff, my first order of business will be to address these crucial issues and make sure that humane practices are instituted. A full 80 percent of those incarcerated

maintaining custody of prisoners remanded by the courts. I’m proud of the fact that under my leadership, our corrections division has been recognized and accredited by the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and the New York State Sheriff’s Association throughout my time in office.”

How does your prior experience, both in and out of law enforcement, make you a good candidate for sheriff? What do you bring to the table that your opponent cannot?

capacities: deputy sheriff, sergeant, detective and then was elected sheriff in 1998. In that time, I started in the jail, moved to the law enforcement academy [and] became a patrol deputy, where I was then assigned as the first narcotics officer in Broome County. Later, I became the first warrant officer in Broome County. I have an intimate knowledge of each level of law enforcement and the many challenges that come with being a law enforcement officer.”

Why should students vote for you?

“With more than 50 years serving this community, I know what it means to be a public servant and a first responder.

I’ve served in many different

“When I first ran for office, my primary goal was to provide strong leadership to the Sheriff’s Office and make our community a safer

have either mental health or drug addiction problems, and we must recognize that jail is the worst place to deal with either of these social and individual challenges. I will work tirelessly to make sure our community finds the best way to treat these conditions and make sure that we [give] those inmates a path forward that greatly increases their prospects of becoming successful upon their re-entry into their community.”

2013, I believe I have the right balance of experience to tackle the complexities of the world we live in today. As a prior mayor, I know how to manage a very large budget in a manner that will actually save taxpayer dollars, while improving public safety.

The days of having just a law enforcement model to deal with issues of criminal justice are arcane and counterproductive.

My executive experience, which included being commissioner of public safety, and my experience in dealing with challenged youth and those charged with crimes, have given me a unique perspective that will allow us, as a community, to establish a more humane and smart way to deal with those charged with crimes.”

How does your prior experience, both in and out of law enforcement, make you a good candidate for sheriff? What do you bring to the table that your opponent cannot?

“As a former Division for Youth counselor for nine years, public defender for 15 years and my executive position as mayor of Binghamton from 2006 to

Why should students vote for you?

“We live in a time when mass incarceration and humane

place to live, study, work and raise a family. I’m once again running for sheriff to continue our progress in creating one of the finest law enforcement agencies in the state. I’ve had the pleasure of being an active member of the [Binghamton University] community serving as a guest lecturer, availing the Sheriff’s Office resources for greater classroom immersion and working alongside the University Police Department to make campus a safer place.

Serving the people of Broome County and the University community over the past 50 years has been the greatest honor of my life, and I plan to keep working as hard as I can to deliver on our county’s needs and goals.”

treatment of those who become involved in the criminal justice system are issues that are at the forefront of who we are as a society. Across this country, new approaches to this mass ‘prison industrial complex’ are making inroads to a broken system. I am asking for your vote, so that we, as a community, can be part of a movement toward a time when we have done everything possible to prevent people from becoming involved in the criminal justice system in the first place, [and] do everything possible to be sure that those who do become involved start a path toward successful re-entry into our community [from] the day they are arrested. I promise I will lead the effort to make the criminal justice system in Broome County fair to all, especially in its discriminating bail practices.”

BINGHAMTON CITY COUNCIL Elected in a special election in January 2018, Resciniti is the director of field education at Binghamton University’s College of Community and Public Affairs and is a licensed social worker.

Under your leadership, how can Binghamton strengthen its neighborhoods?

Councilwoman Sophia Resciniti (R) Councilwoman Sophia Resciniti is the Republican candidate for Binghamton’s 2nd district in the Binghamton City Council.

“We can continue to focus on the root causes of deteriorating neighborhoods — substandard housing and crumbling infrastructure.

Residents deserve decent affordable housing. The more units of quality housing we can provide through state grant-funding and local development incentives — like the 435 State St. and Crandall Street redevelopments — the

to Binghamton’s Community Development Advisory Committee, and has worked with AmeriCorps. He is a founding member of Binghamton Urban Farm. Currently, Livingston works as an independent consultant offering technical and marketing services to farmers.

Under your leadership, how can Binghamton strengthen its neighborhoods?

Dan Livingston (D) Dan Livingston is the Democratic candidate for Binghamton’s 2nd district in the Binghamton City Council. Livingston has previously served as an appointee

“The city of Binghamton needs to engage in a more meaningful way with the people in its neighborhoods. Proactive engagement means more ideas and better ideas to solve our most pressing problems. A more engaged community builds

UNOPPOSED

less in-demand poor housing will be. I’m proud to support these projects. Residents also deserve paved streets and walkable neighborhoods. Public infrastructure investments are often matched by private investment from businesses and property owners in the immediate area. I will continue to advocate for Binghamton’s share of state and federal infrastructure funds, as each dollar spent in our urban core impacts more families than in less densely populated areas.”

incomes. The city’s financial position has greatly improved these last few years, and I voted for a 1.01 percent tax cut for residential homeowners as part of the 2019 budget.

In my district, taxes are the No. 1 concern I hear. Public safety issues, which include dangerous housing conditions, leave our most vulnerable populations at risk. Proactive measures from the Binghamton Police Department and Binghamton Code Enforcement to engage residents will build neighborhood pride and a sense of community. BPD’s Community Response Team (CRT) is a shining example of the kind of proactive police work that needs to be expanded that’s making a difference reducing crime.”

How do you envision engaging with the community and addressing concerns it may have? More specifically, what would you do to engage Binghamton University students in these community issues?

for homeowners to stay afloat, renters to pay their bills and businesses to get started. At the same time, our economic development practices have failed to take the needs of lowand moderate-income residents into consideration. As a result, developers in the city are enjoying windfall profits at the expense of ordinary citizens. The homeowners and renters of this city can thrive at the same time that Downtown [Binghamton] prospers, and it all starts with policies built on the principle of fairness.”

would you do to engage Binghamton University students in these community issues?

How do you envision engaging with the community and addressing concerns it may have? More specifically, what

Why should students vote for you?

Candidates running unopposed in Broome County:

in law enforcement. He lives in Binghamton.

State Sen. Fred Akshar (R) is the Republican candidate for New York’s 52nd senate district in the New York State Senate. Elected in 2015, Akshar previously worked

Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo (D) is the Democratic candidate for New York’s 123rd assembly district in the New York State Assembly.

Elected in 2004, Lupardo previously was a member of the Broome County Legislature and worked as a community mental health educator and a faculty member at Binghamton University.

She is originally from Staten Island and lives in Endwell.

What are your biggest concerns in your district? How do you propose to fix them?

“High property taxes are hurting home values and squeezing residents on fixed

better social infrastructure and enhances our ability to come up with lasting solutions to critical issues. Ultimately, the people who live here are what makes Binghamton unique, resilient and vibrant.”

What are your biggest concerns in your district? How do you propose to fix them?

“Binghamton has the highest municipal tax rate and the highest municipal poverty rate in New York state. When a municipality is the highest or the lowest, the best or the worst at something, it’s a sign of local policy. Our city has a combination of local tax conditions [that] make it difficult

“It’s direct contact with voters. I’ve gone door-to-door to thousands of homes and spoken personally with as many residents. I embrace these discussions on front porches and kitchen tables. While my district does not have the number of students as some other neighborhoods in the city, I view each BU student as a future permanent resident and young professional in our community.

The Town-Gown Advisory Board is a working model of positive community engagement, which,

“Upon taking office, I plan to begin livestreaming and archiving meetings inside of City Hall. While city business is being researched and conducted, I plan to reach out to impacted populations and key stakeholders who will be affected by the city’s plans, and make sure that they have a seat at the table. I also plan to organize community forums throughout the city on topics of critical importance.”

as a member of the Binghamton City Council, I will advocate to expand and grow.”

Why should students vote for you?

“I’ve built a professional career as a social worker and educator at BU. For years, I’ve worked with students to help them realize their career and academic goals while raising my own kids and building my family’s story in this community.

I’m accessible and independent.

My experience and qualifications are an open book. In addition, my message to female voters, BU students or otherwise, is that for too long, women have lacked a strong voice in local government.

It holds us all back and it is time to change the status quo.”

extensive experience in the technology sector, I am keenly aware of the challenging nature of our modern economy, and I am interested in transforming Binghamton into the kind of place that folks from our generation would want to live in. Additionally, as a technology consultant, I have an enormous amount of flexibility in how I spend my time. Because of this, I will be able to put an extraordinary amount of time and effort into fulfilling my duties as a city councilperson for the 2nd district of Binghamton.”

“As a young person with

Legislator Bob Weslar (D) is the Democratic candidate for legislative district 13 in the Broome County Legislature.

Weslar lives on Binghamton’s West Side and was previously elected to his legislative seat in 2016.

OPINIONS Monday, October 29. 2018

College can be a breeding ground for alcoholism Party culture and the high-stress environment can cause students to turn to drinking Theodora Catrina Contributing Columnist

For most people in their late teen years and early 20s, their social life is conflated with, or even dependent on, drinking alcohol. In college, when students escape the restrictions of living at home with parents, they often get caught up in the alcoholic whirlwind of college life. Binge drinking is undeniably normalized in college culture, especially at large schools where Greek life and NCAA sports prevail, or proclaimed “party schools.”

Around 60 percent of college students, aged 18 to 22, admitted to drinking alcohol in the past month, and almost two out of three of them binge drank during that time.

For college students, this well-established drinking culture

holds a certain appeal, and for those who do choose to partake, there are undeniable benefits. In a 2007 study, there were three main recognized motivators for college students to drink: social camaraderie, mood enhancement and tension reduction. None of these motives are surprising. For example, if you have a stressful week at school, oftentimes you are going to look forward to ending that week on State Street or drinking a cheap bottle of wine to escape the pressures of school.

Similarly, for many campus organizations, events with alcohol are the primary form of social gatherings. Moreover, for most, alcohol diminishes your inhibitions, making meeting and bonding with people significantly easier. College is the best time to experiment socially, and alcohol does help with that process.

Ultimately, alcohol can make your transition into college life easier,

and if drinking is something you enjoy, then it can make being at college a really good time.

In the same way people find enjoyment in drinking, there are a slew of negative impacts; hangovers and a decline in academic performance are just some of the consequences of heavy drinking. However, something that is rarely discussed is the potential for alcoholism to start in college.

Alcohol is the most regularly used addictive substance in the United States, and one out of every 12 adults suffer from alcohol dependency or addiction. Binge drinking regularly in combination with the stress of college life is a breeding ground for alcohol dependency. Moreover, genetic components can predispose people to alcoholism, with children of alcoholics being three to four times more likely to develop this addiction in adulthood.

Alcoholism is an incredibly damaging, but increasingly

common disease, and is accompanied by an abundance of mental and physical health implications. Moreover, alcohol addiction is extremely hard to overcome, with only one in three alcoholics who try to get sober ever reaching sobriety. However, alcohol addiction seems to be insufficiently discussed when we talk about mental health and being a college student. Increasing awareness of this disease, especially educating students on the first symptoms of alcoholism, can help staunch a potentially life-damaging addiction.

In the United States, the drinking age is 21, which encourages universities to preach abstinence in regard to discourse on alcohol, despite how prevalent and available it is to underage drinkers. Furthermore, because so many college students spend four years partying and come out unscathed, they develop an attitude of invincibility, or a denial of the

oleksandra naumenko Many students who consume alcohol in college participate in drinking games like beer pong.

possibility of it happening to them.

However, alcoholism does not discriminate. Knowing the warning signs, knowing if there is a genetic component that makes you more vulnerable to alcohol dependency and having an overall awareness of how alcoholism affects the body and mind is imperative. Not only should universities do more to increase this awareness, but

students who come into college knowing they want to partake in drinking should be aware of the potential repercussions and have the resources and knowledge to help them avoid any kind of dependency.

— Theodora Catrina is a sophomore majoring in mathematics.

Foreign languages should be taught at a younger age It is easier for children to learn languages than adults Sophia LoBiondo Contributing Columnist

Learning a foreign language is challenging. I have been taking Spanish for almost six years now, and I seem to have hit a wall.

It seems that no matter how many Spanish classes I take, the process of becoming proficient in the language is painfully slow.

I realized just how pathetic my Spanish skills were last year in my AP Spanish class. The girl who

sat next to me had just moved to the United States from France and could speak French, English and Spanish fluently. She could easily hold a conversation with our teacher while the rest us watched, dumbfounded, barely able to form coherent sentences, let alone carry out an entire conversation with ease. Her level of proficiency put both myself and the rest of the class to shame, making me come to the realization that in the United States, learning a foreign language needs to be introduced in schools at an earlier age.

Compared to Europe, the United States is behind in the

foreign language department.

Most students in Europe start learning another language when they are around 6 to 9 years old.

On average, students in the United States don’t take foreign language classes until the age of 14. This puts us at a severe disadvantage.

Not only do students start learning a foreign language years after kids in Europe have started, but we also miss the window of time in which our brains are most receptive to picking up languages.

Young children are naturally capable of learning languages, which is why it should be introduced into their curriculum

as soon as they start going to school. The younger a child starts learning a language, the better their chance of becoming fluent.

Although it is certainly possible for older students to learn and become fluent in another language, it is much more challenging compared to those who started at a young age.

As a college student, it’s likely that I would already be close to fluent in Spanish if I had started learning the language in elementary school, but unfortunately, I didn’t start learning the basics until the seventh grade. I still have a long way to go.

Not only are foreign languages

introduced at a later age in the United States, but most students aren’t even taking foreign language classes. Approximately 20 percent of K-12 students in the United States are taking a foreign language in school, compared to the average of 92 percent of students in Europe. This gap is unacceptable. Students could already be proficient in a second language by the time they get to college, but most students in the United States aren’t even taking foreign language classes in the years leading up to college.

As a college student in an intermediate Spanish class, the

general goal among many of my peers is the same — we’re all hoping to minor in Spanish. Being bilingual would be a gold star on anyone’s résumé. It’s a valuable skill that would hopefully make us more competitive in the workforce.

However, on a global scale, it’s clear that we lag behind compared to our European counterparts, which is why learning a foreign language needs to start in schools as early as possible to give students the best opportunity to become proficient in another language.

— Sophia LoBiondo undeclared freshman.

is

an

Can DNA tests determine cultural identity?

Students should prioritize their mental health

Biological data cannot be equated with ethnicity

The stigma around mental illness harms everyone

Annick Tabb Contributing Columnsit

This month, Sen. Elizabeth Warren issued a statement saying that the genetic testing she had done confirmed that she was distantly of Native American descent. This came after President Donald Trump called on her to take a test to confirm her heritage, which he claimed he was skeptical of.

This announcement received backlash from different Native American leaders. Cherokee Nation Secretary of State Chuck Hoskin Jr. wrote in a statement, “Using a DNA test to lay claim to any connection to the Cherokee Nation or any tribal nation, even vaguely, is inappropriate and wrong.” While Warren has since clarified that she acknowledges the difference between DNA and tribal affiliation, the rise in popularity of at-home DNA testing kits has raised questions about the role of genealogy in how people present themselves.

For centuries, the world has revolved around whiteness, with people being judged and treated based on their relative proximity to it. The characteristics and customs of nonwhite people have been simultaneously demonized and exoticized. In recent years, it has become palatable for white people to learn more about their ancestry, and many seem eager to learn that they descend from nonEuropeans. At a genetic genealogy

meeting on how to encourage more people to send their DNA to genealogy sites, an audience member joked, “Tell them they’ll find they’re Native American and they’ll all go.” Despite the fact that white people and institutions have spent centuries maintaining whiteness as the pinnacle of superiority and purity, there remains a desire to have a “cultured” and “ethnic” ancestry.

Services like Ancestry.com Inc. and 23andMe make it easy to “pick and choose which fractional parts of genetic identity to highlight when it makes for good cocktailparty conversation.”

It is important to realize that “cultural identity” and “DNA” are not synonyms and should not be treated as such. Genealogy tests advertise their services as an opportunity to explore one’s newly discovered ethnic roots. In an ad for its product, Ancestry.com said, “Does your ethnicity estimate show you’re 9% Nigerian? Try making some Jollof rice.” DNA test results are not a free pass to adopt the customs of the countries your hypothetical ancestors are from.

This applies especially to white people who will never know what it is like to live as a perceived racial minority. A white person who learns they are 9 percent Nigerian is able to eat Jollof rice for dinner while comfortably avoiding all of the potential discrimination that someone who isn’t visibly white might face. Sarah Zhang, staff writer at The Atlantic, added, “If you speak no German, celebrate no German traditions, have never cooked German food, and know no Germans, what connection

is there, really? Cultural identity is the sum total of all of these experiences. DNA alone does not supersede it.”

When delivering results, DNA testing companies use geographic regions rather than racial categories. This method creates a colorblind environment that makes it seem like all races have always peacefully coexisted and that any race-mixing was just a side effect of mutual respect and love. This completely glosses over the long and violent history of slavery and colonization. For example, African Americans have, on average, 24 percent European ancestry. This can often be explained by the systematic rape of black slaves by their white masters. Romanticizing these “relationships” is dangerous and disingenuous. When people learn about their ancestry, they should take care to acknowledge the potential trauma that permeates their personal history.

In order to be transparent, I should mention that I sent my DNA to Ancestry.com when I got a kit last Christmas. The results I received were unsurprising and confirmed basically everything I’ve ever been told about my ancestry. Wanting to learn more about where your family comes from is not necessarily a bad thing. However, it is important to remember the limitations of genealogy testing and to tread carefully if you decide to have it done.

— Annick Tabb is a junior doublemajoring in political science and English.

Michael Harel Contributing Columnist

It should not be surprising that widespread knowledge regarding mental health is lacking, but hopefully it is upsetting.

Understanding of mental health is especially important in a college community where the population lies in the age range most susceptible to experiencing mental illness for the first time.

Since students’ only association with mental illness is often the stigma, when they experience the real effects of a mental illness, they do not know how to react.

Subsequently, they will not seek treatment until they reach rock bottom. This is profoundly detrimental to our generation, and it is imperative that mental health be maintained constantly rather than as a last-hope effort.

Most people only seek mental health treatment when they reach a breaking point, and so prior to and following that point, mental health is never made a priority.

There is a huge mental health treatment gap — 59 percent of Americans didn’t receive mental health services in the past year.

About one in five Americans, or 43.8 million, experience mental illness in a given year. So this means that around 25.8 million people in the United States are suffering each day, despite the availability of treatment that could greatly increase their life satisfaction.

You may be asking yourself why this is happening or perhaps doubting the extent of their pain, because if they were really suffering then they would be seeking treatment. The answer is that, yes, they are in a great deal of pain, but stigma has had such a powerful effect that it makes seeking treatment only a final option. It has done so by distorting the nature of mental illness, which has had a twofold effect: It has prevented those who suffer from mental illness from recognizing their experiences as such, because if mental illness means you are “crazy,” then what they are going through does not require treatment. In addition, stigma has made treatment a socially isolating and embarrassing experience for many because of misconceptions such as those who receive therapy or medication are “weak.” As a result, mental health is often ignored until it no longer can be.

In our fast-paced society, now more than ever, mental health needs to be adopted as a lifelong priority by everyone as something that must be maintained and not just fixed. When taking a break is considered lazy, how can we expect people to live happy and successful lives? Coping with stress needs to be something we are taught, something that is not only seen as acceptable but as necessary.

Mindful meditation — a powerful tool — should be taught in school.

Moreover, we should be taught indepth about the various mental illnesses and about when to seek treatment, as well as that seeking treatment is courageous and something to be proud of.

In addition, it is important to be able to recognize the signs that you need help. While a moderate level of anxiety is healthy, it becomes destructive when it interferes with your daily life. For example, it can make concentrating on work extremely difficult or make social situations dreadful. In addition, being sad is completely normal, but when someone experiences depression, they become sad about everything and lose their energy, motivation and ability to feel joy. These are just two of several disorders, but generally, if you are severely struggling in life, instead of blaming yourself, consider the possibility that it may not be your fault, and perhaps you may benefit from treatment.

We have the power to change society’s relationship with mental health, and even small changes can ultimately be significant. Take the time to learn about mental illness; while it is impossible to understand the grueling pain that those with mental illnesses go through, it is important to try your best. In addition, stop using conditions like “depressed,” “OCD” and “bipolar” as adjectives, because doing so minimizes the disorders and further stigmatizes them. Moreover, when a friend tells you they have a mental health disorder, ask them more about it instead of telling them to be stronger or calling them “crazy.” Most importantly, be kind to yourself; if you are not taking care of yourself then you are only hindering your success.

— Michael Harel is a senior majoring in political science.

Roberson Museum gets spooky with haunted tours Guided expeditions exhibit ghost history James Tlsty staff writer

This October, an ominous presence looms over the Roberson Museum and Science Center at 30 Front St. in Downtown Binghamton, and guests have taken notice. Fortunately, Paula Grosso, an educator at the Roberson Museum, has been available all month to guide tour groups through the haunted halls of the historic mansion-turnedmuseum. The tours have been offered every Friday and Saturday to the general public, and have been the source of much buzz for Downtown Binghamton’s paranormal community.

The Roberson Museum is thought to be inhabited by the restless spirit of Alonzo Roberson, the museum’s former inhabitant and primary endower from the early 19th century. Grosso said the tour developed across years of paranormal activities being reported by museum employees and guests.

“Over the years, we’ve been collecting a lot of ghost stories and stories about the paranormal through visitors and guests alike,” Grosso said. “And so we thought [the haunted mansion tours] would be a good experience to add on to [this legacy].”

Grosso reassured participants in the tour that the museum had paranormal experts come to inspect the mansion for the presence of spirits, for which they detected significant activity.

jacob hanna pipe dream photographer The Roberson Museum and Science Center, located at 30 Front St. on Binghamton’s West Side, hosted its first haunted mansion tour for the month of October.

“We actually have another investigative team coming in the next couple of weeks to do another round of investigations,” Grosso said.

The haunted tours have been a resoundingly successful endeavor for the Roberson Museum, as many Binghamton residents arrived in full costume to receive an authentic Halloween experience.

“The tours have been happening Friday nights for the

first couple weeks … they’ve been so popular, we’ve been basically sold out every tour,” Grosso said.

“We’ve added on the Saturday afternoon tour [to accommodate for the increased popularity].”

The haunted mansion tours take a different approach from the standard mansion tours that are offered year-round, focusing more on the paranormal legacy of the building rather than its architecture or history.

“The haunted mansion tours

[tell] a lot of the ghost stories, so some of them are personal stories,” Grosso said. “On the regular mansion tours, it’s a lot about the history of the time period [and] history of the Robersons and their industries … it’s a much different feel.”

After sundown, the tours take on an even more mysterious atmosphere, as the darker setting adds to the tour’s ambiance.

“The haunted mansion tours at night are really

quite fun because it’s all with minimal lighting,” Grosso said.

“There’s some cobwebs and so it kind of adds to people’s Halloween spirit.”

As for the goal of the tours, Grosso explained that she does not expect to convince those who do not believe in ghosts of their existence. However, she hopes to provide some unique insight for those who do subscribe to the paranormal.

“I think that people, when

they come, have their minds [made] up of whether they believe in ghosts or not,” Grosso said. “We’ve had quite a few guests who really do believe in the paranormal and so [these tours] kinda confirm for them [their beliefs]. For some others, it’s a bit of fun and just [part of] getting ready for Halloween … there was one gentleman who, while we were in the sewing room, felt a kind of presence …

I think he was a little spooked.”

STAFF COSTUME IDEAS Shauna Bahssin Assistant Arts & Culture Editor I was Mitski’s ‘Be the Cowboy.’ I wasn’t a cowboy, I was THE cowboy.

Savanna Vidal Assistant Opinions Editor My friends and I went as Maroon 5. We all wore maroon and there were 5 of us.

Lia Berger Assistant Copy Desk Chief The first night I was undead — I wore a bullet woundstained coat with red makeup and carried a bloody knife with the intent to get revenge on my murderer.

Sarah Molano Copy Desk Chief I was Frida Kahlo, my radical bisexual Latinx queen, for Halloween.

Katy Wong Arts & Culture Editor My friends and I went as “The Purge.” We ripped up long white T-shirts and splattered them with fake blood.

Emily Kaufman & Bridget McCusker Editor-in-Chief & Managing Editor We dressed as a pair of Floridian grandmothers.

Halloween is the perfect time for couples to dress up as their favorite movie couple or to transform into cultural icons. Whether you’re going to a costume party or barhopping around State Street, try out these spooky and classic couple costumes this fall.

Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega For true “Pulp Fiction” fans, this couple costume will unleash your inner dance moves like Uma Thurman. For Mia’s look, find a white button-down shirt and pair it with any black pants, including leggings. Throw on a lace bralette or camisole for under the shirt, and although her iconic look involves bare feet, it’s probably best you wear sneakers on State Street. Her black cropped haircut can easily be found as a wig, and you can even buy a cigarette to complete the look. For Vincent’s outfit, channel your inner John Travolta in your best suit, and the outfit wouldn’t be perfect without a bolo tie and cigarette prop.

Cleopatra and Julius Caesar Stand out in the crowd with these ancient costumes. For Cleopatra, wear a long white dress and use gold fabric, which you can find at a craft store, to cut out a long belt for around the waist of the dress. Use the additional pieces of gold fabric for wristbands.

You can wear a turquoise and gold statement necklace or cut black fabric and add pieces of turquoise and gold fabric to it, for around the neck of the dress. For the headpiece, you can wear a shiny gold headband and add additional jewelry pieces, such as a gold hand chain bracelet. For Julius Caesar, you can turn a white sheet into a toga. Drape a red sheet over one side of your shoulders and tuck it into a gold belt, made the same way as Cleopatra’s. Finish your look with gold wristbands and a gold headpiece, which can be easily made by cutting gold fabric into leaf shapes.

Gomez and Morticia Addams This is the ultimate classic Halloween costume that is sure to win you style points. For Morticia, find your sleekest black dress with long bell sleeves. Keep your hair straight and apply red lipstick and dark eyeshadow. You can apply white powder or a lighter foundation to your skin to give it the necessary ghostly effect. Don’t forget that the best part of this costume is the pose — keep your arms crossed to capture the full Morticia effect.

For Gomez’s look, you’ll need a pinstripe suit and a traditional tie or bowtie. If you don’t have a pinstripe suit, a black one will be fine as well. His mustache and cigar complete his iconic look, which you can easily buy as props from any Halloween store.

Siren and Sailor If you want a costume that will make a splash on your Instagram feed, then this is the perfect one. For the mermaid, a green bodycon skirt is the perfect substitute for the tail, and you can wear a purple or white sequined cropped shirt or bralette. You can also glue on seashells and fishnet material onto a bra or cropped shirt. Add face gems and bright lipstick for a pop of color and curl your hair into majestic waves for the mystical effect of a siren. If you want to fully recreate the scales, you can brush on green, blue or purple eyeshadow onto your skin through the mesh of fishnets, which will imitate the finer details of the mermaid image. The sailor’s costume involves a navy and white striped T-shirt, white pants and boating shoes. You can easily find a sailor hat at any local Halloween store to finish the look.

Melanie Gulbas Arts & Culture

bupipedream.com | October 29, 2018

ARTS & CULTURE

9

VSA hosts Miss Asia event Miss Taiwan wins the crown at pageant Peter Farquharson contributing writer

You might be too old to trick or treat, but you’re never too old to gorge on spooky treats on Halloween night. Whether you’re in the mood for an inventive dessert, a healthy crowd-pleaser or a creative use for all the discounted candy you’ll buy next weekend, these recipes will take your Halloween festivities to the next level.

Fall Vegetable Dip For a grown-up twist on the jack-o’-lantern, transform a hollowed-out pumpkin into a receptacle for this healthy vegan dip. Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor to the vitamin-packed root vegetable and hummus components and the pumpkin’s seeds can be roasted and sprinkled on top for a rustic-looking garnish. To stay on-theme, serve with black bean chips or Utz’s classic “Bats & Jacks” pretzels.

Ingredients:

Steps:

— One carrot — One small turnip — 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast — 2 tablespoons sweet potato hummus — 2 tablespoons red pepper hummus — Salt and pepper (to taste)

1. Quarter turnip and cut carrot into halfinch slices.

2. Boil carrot and turnip on medium heat for about 30 minutes or until soft.

3. Drain vegetables, gently mash with a fork and then add to blender.

4. Add hummus, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper to blender.

5. Blend until smooth.

Candy Corn Hedgehog Cupcakes Candy corn transforms any cupcake recipe into an army of vibrant critters. Whether you make your cupcakes from scratch or from the box — or you prefer a seasonal alternative like apple or pumpkin muffins — this eye-catching decorating technique is perfect for Halloween.

Ingredients:

Steps:

— Cupcakes — Candy corn — Light brown frosting — Candy eyes — Chocolate chips

1. Spread frosting onto each cupcake.

2. Push several pieces of candy corn into the frosting, covering most of the surface but leaving a small space bare on one side.

3. Decorate the bare space with two candy eyes and a chocolate chip snout.

Spider Mochi Mochi are a chewy Japanese dessert, usually filled with pudding, ice cream or bean paste. This spider-inspired variation is a spooky take on a basic mochi recipe that calls for just three microwaveable ingredients: Mochiko rice flour, sugar and water. Fill these creepy crawlers with candy pumpkins or orange ice cream for an extra festive touch.

Ingredients:

Steps:

— 1 cup Mochiko sweet rice flour — 1 cup water — ¼ cup sugar — Black food coloring — All-purpose flour — Candy eyes — ½ cup black sesame seeds — Black pipe cleaners (for presentation)

1. Quarter turnip and cut carrot into halfinch slices.

2. Boil carrot and turnip on medium heat for about 30 minutes or until soft.

3. Drain vegetables, gently mash with a fork and then add to blender.

4. Add hummus, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper to blender.

5. Blend until smooth.

Flocks of students packed into the Mandela Room this past Friday, Oct. 26 to support their favorite contestants at the seventh annual Miss Asia event, hosted by the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA). Titled “Crazy Miss Asians” in reference to the movie “Crazy Rich Asians,” this year’s cultural pageant featured nine student contestants representing countries from across the Asian continent — in all, the diverse group included representatives from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. Supporters came from across the entire northeast region, with VSA chapters from schools like Stony Brook University and Temple University making the trip to Binghamton University for the event.

Before the pageant began, guests were invited to enjoy a variety of activities — two backdrops were set up that some guests used to take pictures, while others enjoyed an array of different foods, including chicken with broccoli and lo mein. String lights and energetic music helped contribute to the partylike atmosphere, which guests maintained once the competition itself had finally begun.

In the “First Impressions” round, the crowd caught its first glimpses of the contestants.

Each was introduced by an emcee before slowly circling the stage in a simple dress, making occasional stops along the way to wave to friends in the crowd. Also introduced in this round were the competition judges: Andy JeanBaptiste, Student Association vice president for multicultural affairs and a senior double-majoring in economics and philosophy, politics and law; Josephine Gong, a senior majoring in biology; and Lilly Do, ‘18, former member of the BU VSA Executive Board.

After all introductions were completed, a short intermission followed in which guests played musical chairs.

The second round highlighted the cultural heritage of the contestants, as each donned a traditional dress from the countries they represented. In the third round, each contestant sported their most creative Halloween costume. The outfits were creative, to say the least: Miss Philippines representative Maria Fernandez, a freshman majoring in biology, wore a shark suit, Miss India representative Kripa Mathew, a freshman majoring in political science, dressed as a Tide Pod and Miss Cambodia representative Wyonna Tran, a sophomore majoring in

joel velasco prism photography editor Sally Bishop, a a senior majoring in mechanical engineering who represented Taiwan, took this year’s crown at the Vietnamese Student Association’s annual Miss Asia contest on Oct. 26.

chemistry, did her best Kanye impression by dressing as a Roblox character.

The fourth round consisted of the talent portion of the pageant.

While most contestants either sang or danced, both Tran and Sally Bishop, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering who represented Taiwan, took different approaches. For her act, Tran showed off her athleticism by repeatedly kicking targets placed at or above shoulder height. Bishop’s talent was twofold: She began by reciting what was presumably traditional poetry, before abruptly switching to slam poetry. Her verses, which largely reflected upon the experience of being AsianAmerican and the difficulties that often accommodate her identity, drew raucous applause from the crowd.

The “Final Impressions” round, which was similar in pageant structure to the first round, saw each contestant once again circle the stage in a simple dress. During the intermission that followed, guests were invited to vote for their favorite contestant throughout the first five rounds, with the three contestants who received the highest number of votes moving on to the sixth round.

After intermission the finalists were announced: Miss China representative Lily Lin, a junior majoring in business administration; Miss Vietnam representative Michelle Huynh, a freshman majoring in nursing; and Bishop all made the cut. The sixth “Question and Answer”

round gave the audience a chance to get to know the contestants on a more personal level. Each of the three judges on the panel had the chance to ask the contestants questions on a variety of different topics, from personal hardships to what it would mean to be Miss Asia. The crowd greeted each answer with enthusiasm before the judges left the room to deliberate their final judgment.

The decision was not an easy one, according to Jean-Baptiste.

“The confidence of every single one of [the contestants] was off the charts,” he said.

“Everybody knew what they were doing and really went for it.”

Upon the judges’ return each contestant was invited back onto the stage, where with interlocked arms they awaited the final decision. This year’s Miss Asia crown was then awarded to Bishop, who was met with no shortage of cheers from the crowd and hugs from her fellow contestants.

Although only one pageant contestant could be crowned winner, Jean-Baptiste stated that the real victory of the evening was the celebration of Asian culture that brought students from many diverse backgrounds together.

“A lot of the cultural organizations on campus [cohost] events, they [co-host] banquets and … fashion shows, and I think these things really celebrate everyone’s culture,” he said. “The contestants coming out on stage were saying ‘When I was younger I used to be ashamed of my culture,’ and now they are fully embracing it.”

‘The Tree of Wooden Clogs’ shown by Harpur Cinema Neo-realist Italian film chosen by cinema dept.

Sofia Mena

contributing writer

On Friday, Oct. 26 and Sunday, Oct. 28, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:45 p.m., Harpur Cinema presented “The Tree of Wooden Clogs,” the Italian director Ermanno Olmi’s masterpiece. Olmi was known for his neorealist films that centered around class consciousness and depicted humble lives, yet this one was deemed his magnum opus, winning several accolades for its authenticity and sheer scale. The film by the late director, who died this past May, was shown in Lecture Hall 6 and was introduced by Kenneth White, an assistant professor in the cinema department.

The film, which premiered in 1978, and is three hours and six minutes in length, reveals an intimate portrait of the hardscrabble lives of Italian peasants in the northern region of Lombardy in the late 19th century. While released in the 1970s, the film has definite

undercurrents of the neorealism of the post-World War II period.

Chantal Rodais, a lecturer in the cinema department, said the film was chosen to spotlight Italian cinema of the 1970s and pay tribute to the recently deceased director.

“I wanted to bring ‘The Tree of Wooden Clogs’ to campus for viewers to discover or rediscover this masterpiece of world cinema, a striking example of the extremely rich Italian cinema of the 1970s,” Rodais said. “And when Ermanno Olmi passed away earlier this year in May, it became the opportunity to pay tribute to this important director and artist.”

The film is shot in 16 millimeter, a film gauge employed in nontheatrical filmmaking that imparts an element of greater authenticity by giving a grainier, less edited and almost painting-like quality to the image. It portrays peasant life with striking realism and rawness, inciting the audience to experience many of the same raw emotions.

The film is almost entirely spoken in the Bergamasque

rose coschignano staff photogrpaher Students gathered in Lecture Hall 6 this weekend to view late director Ermanno Olmi’s film, “The Tree of Wooden Clogs,” presented by Harpur Cinema.

dialect, and uses nonprofessional actors rather than stage actors to further give it a sense of genuineness. Depicting four peasant families engaging in ordinary activities such as working the mill, reciting

prayers, telling stories by the fire and delivering babies, Olmi takes the audience on a journey of the joys and sorrows that mold the families.

As is customary with Harpur Cinema screenings, the film

was preceded by a student film.

“The Fix,” a short film by Mia Leopold, ‘18, was selected to be shown. The film, which exhibited an old teddy bear being stitched up, could be said to have tied in thematically with the main film

in its depiction of a subject in disrepair and in need of attention.

“The Tree of Wooden Clogs” is in line with the theme of communities selected this semester by Harpur Cinema in its depiction of the insular community of peasants and their collective experiences of labor, love and loss that bind them together throughout the film.

White ended by speaking of the achievement of the film in vividly capturing the theme of class consciousness, or the class struggle from the Marxist era, in a way that few other films have.

“Olmi has given us a work that not only encapsulates cinema at its grandest possibility, but also something more that is lasting beyond all of these temporal and chronological and political shifts, that is, class consciousness,” White said.

Rodais also echoed this achievement, noting the artistic and emotive qualities of the film.

“It is an extremely beautiful film, with images that remain in one’s mind for their beauty but also for the profound emotion they provoke.”

F UN

Monday, October 29, 2018 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3, 2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

Fire beats

Spookum magookum

Annabeth Sloan & Kevin Brown Humerus meme

Daniel Eisenhower

Sudoku

Nate Walker

By The Mepham Group

Level: 1 2 3 4 Solution to last issue's puzzle

© 2017 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis Nightmare on State Street

Daniel Eisenhower

ACROSS 1 Autos 5 Cutlass automaker 9 Stick-on design 14 Fever with chills 15 Hide, as a bone 16 100 bucks 17 Breadbasket item 18 Read bar codes on 19 “Wizard of __ Park”: Edison 20 Protective net above a cradle 23 __ Paulo, Brazil 24 Some tech sch. grads 25 Type of energy or reactor 29 ’60s-’70s quarterback Tarkenton 31 Content cat sound 33 Spanish gold 34 Government prosecutor 37 Philip of “Kung Fu” 38 Live and breathe 39 “Ich bin __ Berliner”: JFK 40 Reduced responsiveness to medication 45 “Casablanca” pianist 46 She sheep 47 Blues singer James 48 At first, second or third 50 Long __ of the law 51 Airline to Stockholm 54 Unexpected classroom announcement ... and, initially, one hiding in each set of puzzle circles 58 Gorge 61 Aesop’s also-ran 62 “East of Eden” director Kazan 63 Blender button 64 Barely makes, with “out” 65 A short distance away 66 Accumulate

67 “Wild” frontier place 68 IRS form IDs DOWN 1 King and queen 2 Greek marketplace 3 Hitchhiker’s principle?

4 Actress Ward 5 Lewd 6 “Star Wars” mastermind 7 “Dang!”

8 Lip-__: mouth the words 9 U.S. capital transit system 10 First month of el año 11 Pro’s opposite 12 Braves, on scoreboards 13 DiCaprio, in fan mags 21 Potatoes partner 22 “B.C.” cartoonist Johnny 26 Tennis great with nine Grand Slam singles titles 27 Goodnight woman of song 28 Coquettish 30 Tolled like Big

Ben 31 Romeo’s rival 32 Salt Lake City team 34 Leftovers wrap 35 Postage-paid enc.

36 Cost of living?

40 Brit. military award 41 Job applicants’ preparations 42 Pretty pitcher 43 Most concise

44 “Don’t look __ like that!”

49 Beasts of burden 50 Buenos __ 52 From China, say 53 Popular performers 55 “That was close!”

56 Leaves gatherer 57 Addition column 58 Auditing pro 59 Run smoothly 60 Altar in the sky

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

By Paul Coulter ©2018 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

10/29/18

10/29/18

bupipedream.com | October 29, 2018

SPORTS

11

Men’s soccer losing streak reaches six with loss to UVM Vermont capitalizes on rebound from penalty kick Samantha Marsh pipe dream sports

rebecca kiss photography editor Senior midfielder Harrison Weilbacher fired two shots in Binghamton’s 1-0 loss to Vermont, neither of which were directed on net.

There was water everywhere and not a drop to drink for the Binghamton men’s soccer team as it was defeated on Senior Day

by Vermont 1-0 in persistent rain.

Just over three minutes into the game, a penalty kick was awarded to Vermont (11-6-0, 4-2-0 America East). The ball went to redshirt junior goalkeeper Chris Shutler’s right as he was able to narrowly save the ball, however, Shutler, unable to take control of the ball or have help clearing it from the defense, lost the ball when Vermont senior forward Geo Alves pulled it back and launched a pass inside the box to Vermont junior midfielder Jon Arnar Barddal, who tapped the

ball into the back of the net, putting the Catamounts up 1-0.

“I don’t think it was a penalty,” said BU head coach Paul Marco.

“Shutler [made] the save, and they [didn’t] clear the ball. [I was] really disappointed on that. It was a great save, and then we didn’t help him. In that moment, we let each other down.”

The early goal proved to be the cause of the loss, as the game remained scoreless for the 86 minutes that followed. Shutler had three saves throughout the game and was a strong force for the Bearcats (3-11-2, 2-4-0 America East). Shutler currently holds the No. 2 spot in saves per game in the AE Conference and has 52 saves for the season, the second-highest in the AE. “A penalty is 50/50,” Shutler said.

“I made the save, which definitely gave me some motivation, and then the guys I guess were not expecting

it, and [Vermont] got the first one in the backside.”

The Bearcats had a couple opportunities to even the score.

In the 27th and 32nd minute, sophomore midfielder Noah Luescher rifled two shots on goal, but both shots went almost directly to the goalkeeper, ending with two effortless saves.

In the second half of the game, shots were taken by senior midfielder Harrison Weilbacher and freshman midfielder Andrew McDonnell, but all went wide. It wasn’t until the 80th minute of the game that the Bearcats thought they were going to catch a break, but senior forward Nikos Psarras’ breakaway ultimately fell flat.

Psarras was in close proximity to the goal, but the outcome was a shot that went almost right to the goalie.

“Overall, I feel like the guys played hard,” Marco said. “They

competed well. We did all the little things except put the ball in their goal. I felt like our guys were very good tonight. We created enough to get a goal, and we just [didn’t] score a goal. There were four good looks in the second half, two good looks in the first half, two on set pieces. I mean, you get six good looks in the game, you think you’re going to get at least one goal. I’m disappointed, really disappointed, and now everything rides on Albany’s game.”

With the loss against Vermont, the Bearcats only have one more chance to redeem themselves. If Binghamton loses the game against Albany, it will not clinch a spot in the AE Tournament, ultimately ending its season.

Binghamton’s AE Tournament fate will be determined on Wednesday at the University of Albany. Kickoff from Varsity Field in Albany, New York is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Women’s swimming and diving downs Colgate at home Pettis shines in Bearcats’ Code Pink event Ryan Giglio

contributing writer

Not even a nor’easter could slow down the Binghamton women’s swimming and diving team on Saturday as it continued its run of success. After beating Colgate 165129 in their Code Pink meet, the Bearcats saw their record in dual meets improve to 3-0.

Binghamton saw several of its athletes capture multiple events.

Sophomore Erica Bachiller was victorious in the 100 back (59.64) and 200 back (2:10.93) while junior Olivia Santos came out on top in the 50 free (24.81) and 100 free (53.54).

Sophomore Kaitlyn Smolar was once again dominant in the pool as she netted three first-place finishes for the second straight meet. Smolar won the 200 free (1:58.24), 500 free (5:15.15) and 1650 free (17:45.43).

Smolar was asked to join Santos, freshman Belen Marriaga and junior Sydney Atendido in the 200 free relay due to some Bearcat injuries and her strong showing in last meet’s 400 free relay. The group took the victory in this event with a time of 1:39.70.

BU head coach Brad Smith took note of the versatility displayed

by Smolar. “[Smolar] is not a sprinter at all,” Smith said. “She may not be a tried-and-true sprinter, but she proved that she has the ability

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to sprint.”

The men’s team saw action in an intrasquad meet on Saturday that was highlighted by numerous record-breaking performances.

Junior Ross Bernstein’s 200 fly (1:50.59) broke the record set

by David Holmes, ’07, (1:52.05) in 2006. Holmes is one of the most decorated swimmers in America East history and was a NCAA qualifier in 2007. Smith said that Bernstein is on track to have a legacy as illustrious as Holmes’ by the time he graduates. “[Bernstein] has clearly cemented himself now as — we’ll have to wait until championships — possibly the best 200 flyer in program history,” Smith said.

“He still has a little ways to go for that all-time time but … he is far from rested.”

Bernstein, sophomores Shane Morris and Patrick Wilson and senior Alex Brion’s 200 medley relay (1:32.74) beat the previous pool record of 1:33.72 set by Binghamton in 2010.

Brion was also a notable member of the 200 free relay team that bested the pool record set in 2008 by Cornell (1:24.08). The new record set on Saturday by Brion, Wilson, senior Matthew DeVito and junior Tyler Myers now stands at 1:23.81.

Saturday’s event was Binghamton’s first annual Code Pink meet, which means the meet was about much more than winning or losing. Binghamton men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams joined forces with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in setting up the event to raise breast cancer awareness.

Sidney Slon staff photographer Women’s swimming and diving advanced to 3-0 in dual meets following a victory over Colgate at the program’s Code Pink event.

The event was first conceived by senior Brooke Pettis, a member of the women’s team and the SAAC, with the goal of spreading awareness for breast cancer.

Pettis was inspired by other teams holding similar events at their pools and decided to help bring it to Binghamton.

During the meet, Binghamton’s swimmers and divers wore pink caps and most donned a pink ribbon temporarily tattooed somewhere on their bodies. Pink ribbons and signs promoting the event were littered all over the walls of Patricia A. Saunders Aquatic Center, and many supporting fans wore attire that created a sea of pink in the bleachers. Fans also had the opportunity to donate to the Roswell Park Cancer Center.

Smith seemed impressed with Pettis on Saturday in terms of her performance — she won the 100 fly (57.91) and 200 fly (2:08.25) — and her role in setting up the Code Pink event. “[Pettis] is a tremendous leader,” Smith said. “She is an example in the pool and outside of the pool of what a student athlete should be. She is also one to teach and give back, and what she’s doing for some of her peers is special.”

The Binghamton men’s team will next suit up to face NJIT at 1 p.m. on Nov. 17 at the Patricia A. Saunders Aquatic Center in Vestal, New York. The women will have their next event at 1 p.m. on Dec. 1 at Canisius in Buffalo, New York.

MEN’S SOCCER

BU falls to Vermont SEE PAGE 11

Monday, October 29, 2018

Senior outside hitter Gaby Alicea led the Bearcats with 22 kills, 16 digs and 26 points in a failed effort by the Bearcats against Albany.

Christine DeRosa contributing photographer

Volleyball blows two-game lead over Great Danes Binghamton drops fifth straight AE game Edward Aaron

pipe dream sports

After the Binghamton volleyball team won the first two sets against Albany, taking a commandeering 2-0 lead in the match, the Great Danes took over, staging a comeback and sucking the momentum out of the West Gym. The Bearcats (4-17, 2-6 America East) relinquished their lead and fell 3-2 to the Great Danes (13-8, 7-1 AE).

It was a difficult ending for Binghamton in a game that began with much promise. Strong

performances at the beginning of later sets plagued the Bearcats’ chances to hold on for a win.

The teams exchanged points throughout a hotly contested first set. With the score tied at 24, Binghamton recorded two kills and won the game 26-24. The Bearcats came out firing in the second frame, jumping out to a 9-4 advantage, and holding on for a 25-20 victory. The Great Danes fought back to make the score 2220, but a 3-0 finish gave BU the victory in the frame, and a 2-0 lead in the match.

“We hit well the first two sets,” said BU head coach Glenn Kiriyama. “I thought they blocked a little bit better against us. And when our hitters had a

tougher time just putting the ball away when we needed to.”

At this point, things started to go downhill for the Bearcats.

In the third frame, Albany jumped out to a 7-1 lead, and did not relinquish the lead for the duration of the set, winning 25-18.

The fourth set was more of the same, with Albany starting the game by taking a 7-2 edge. But the Bearcats fought back, taking their first advantage since the second set at 21-20. Albany closed out the frame with a 5-1 run to tie the game at two, sending it to a decisive fifth set.

“We made it close,” Kiriyama said. “And I wish we could’ve just played a little bit better there.”

With the momentum swept away from the Bearcats, Albany dominated the final set. A 7-1 start ended with a 15-8 win, and Binghamton suffered a deflating 3-2 defeat that saw the team blow a 2-0 advantage in the match.

“We got stuck in a couple of rotations,” Kiriyama said. “And it’s tough to fall behind to a good team like that and try to make it up.”

This marks the second time this season that Binghamton has been defeated by Albany. On Sept. 28, the Great Danes beat the Bearcats 3-1 in Albany. “[Albany is] a solid team, all around,” Kiriyama said. “Not a lot of weaknesses. They’re very consistent in what they do. So it’s

tough to get behind them at any time during the game.”

During the Bearcats’ early run of success, Kiriyama was pleased with the performance of senior outside hitter Erin Shultz. “[Shultz] started off well, the first two games,” Kiriyama said.

“She had a really phenomenal first game there, and just hit aggressive. Wish we could’ve kept it up a little more.”

Shultz finished the match with 16 kills and nine digs.

Senior outside hitter Gaby Alicea led the way with 22 kills and 16 digs, and freshman setter Kiara Adams recorded 43 assists.

The match was notable for the Binghamton volleyball program, as it marked its first ever match

broadcasted on ESPN+, ESPN’s online streaming platform.

“We’re fortunate and glad to have that happen with our team,” Kiriyama said. “I think it just brings a little bit more excitement to the match, and gets our girls up a little bit more, so it’s nice.”

As the Bearcats enter the home stretch of their season, they embark on a challenging road trip for two pivotal conference matchups.

Before playing against UMass Lowell, the team will face off against New Hampshire. First serve against the Wildcats is set for Friday, Nov. 2 from the Lundholm Gymnasium in Durham, New Hampshire at 7 p.m.

Cross country competes at America East Championships

pipe dream archives Redshirt sophomore Dan Schaffer placed second at the America East Cross Country Championships, the highest finish ever by a Binghamton underclassman.

Schaffer takes second place in conference meet Kyle Reina

Contributing writer

Amid poor weather and adverse course conditions, the Binghamton men’s and women’s cross country teams had standout performances from their runners in Saturday’s America East (AE) Championships. Redshirt

sophomore Dan Schaffer placed second in the men’s 8K behind graduate student Paul Hogan of UMass Lowell. Schaffer’s performance is a record for highest finish in the event by an underclassman in Binghamton

history.

Freshman Aziza Chigatayeva was crowned Rookie of the Meet for her third-place finish in the women’s 5K. Schaffer finished in 24:35.03, 16 seconds behind Hogan.

Chigatayeva clocked in at 17:26:52, 36 seconds behind first place and nine seconds behind second place.

The men’s race was a close matchup between Schaffer and Hogan until Hogan was able to pull away on the final mile. Early on, junior Cameron Avery of Stony Brook and junior Victor Ortiz Rivera of Albany were contenders against Schaffer and Hogan; the two were able to separate themselves, and for a two-mile stretch, they failed to gain any lead on each other. Schaffer was the only underclassman to finish in the top five. “[BU head coach Annette Acuff] set a goal for me to reach top five, which I think was realistic, and I feel like I definitely exceeded our expectations with my performance,” Schaffer said.

The last time a Binghamton runner placed as high as Schaffer was 2009, when Erik van Ingen and Chris Gaube placed first and second, respectively, in the conference meet.

“It was really exciting to find out that my run was the highest by an underclassman,” Schaffer said. “It was a big honor and exciting to do something like that

and it shows myself my potential and where I can go from here.”

UMass Lowell prevailed, beating Stony Brook by one point, 43-44. The Bearcats finished third with a score of 103. Redshirt junior Daryn Hutchings placed 15th with a time of 25:21:67, while redshirt sophomore Mitch Halpern followed close behind in 21st place with a time of 25:34:53.

Redshirt freshman Matt Goyden, who paired with Chigatayeva to sweep Rookie of the Meet awards, finished 35th at 26:00:68.

Chigatayeva’s performance was one for the books as well, as she is the first Bearcat to win the women’s Rookie of the Meet since the award’s introduction in 2015.

She also tied for the highest finish by a Bearcat in the meet since Katie Radzik in 2005.

Going into the race, Annika Sisson, a senior from Stony Brook, was the favorite to take home the crown at this year’s conference meet. She was upset

by Hannah Reinhardt, however, a junior from University of Albany.

Chigatayeva’s performance came as a surprise, as coaches did not know what to expect from the freshman.

“I didn’t really go in with any expectations for myself in the race,” Chigatayeva said. “I was sort of nervous, but my goal was to make top seven, as that qualified me for first team,

which is a great thing for me as a freshman.”

Chigatayeva and Sisson were able to challenge Reinhardt, but Reinhardt quickly pulled away halfway through the race and was the only runner to finish under the 17-minute mark.

“Chigatayeva was a fantastic competitor and you never know with freshman how they are going to handle conference meets, but she did much better than I expected,” Acuff said.

The women’s team finished 5th with a score of 122, while Albany came out on top with a score of 46. Senior Erika Yamazaki finished 22nd at 18:13:52, while redshirt sophomore Emily Mackay and junior Jessica CuevaScarpelli followed close behind at 25th and 26th, respectively, with times of 18:16:78 and 18:19:07.

Saturday’s weather played a part in each race, especially the women’s as the prior men’s race further tore up the course.

Several runners fell, such as Hogan, who had visible mud on his face.

“It’s tougher competition with the weather,” Acuff said. “It made our kids have to be mentally tougher for the race, but overall it was tougher for everyone.”

The Bearcats run again on Nov. 9 at the NCAA Northeast Regional Meet in Buffalo, New York.