FRIDAY
October 7, 2011 Sat. Sun. Mon. SUNNY SUNNY SUNNY 76ŗ50 78ŗ52 75ŗ51
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Vol. LXXX, Issue 11
Binghamton University
Binghamton students join in SUNY-wide rally
Timmy Shin/Staff Photographer
Binghamton University students rally against SUNY budget cuts and tuition hikes on the Lois B. DeFleur Walkway on Wednesday, Oct. 5. The students organized a walkout in alliance with New York Students Rising, a statewide group that coordinates rallies at SUNY and CUNY schools.
Christina Pullano Contributing Writer
Students at Binghamton University joined others across the state Wednesday to rally against budget cuts and tuition hikes. The BU protesters joined with a statewide student organization called New York Students Rising (NYSR),
a group that coordinates rallies at SUNY and CUNY schools. A group of BU students called Concerned Binghamton Students partnered with NYSR over the summer to plan this rally. Students were protesting NYSUNY 2020, a piece of legislation passed into law in New York during the summer authorizing the SUNY Board of Trustees to raise tuition for SUNY
and CUNY campuses every year for the next five years. There were about 30 to 50 people at the rally when it began outside the Glenn G. Bartle Library Tower at noon Wednesday. As the group marched through the Lecture Hall, they opened classroom doors and encouraged students to walk out of class and join the rally while they chanted “the students
united will never be defeated.” Brian Zbriger, a graduate student in the sociology program and an adjunct professor, said the rally was important because many undergraduate students are not knowledgeable about issues surrounding SUNY’s budget. “It’s very important for undergrads
See SUNY Page 2
BU senior, thought missing, found dead yesterday Valerie Clark, a 24-year-old senior at Binghamton University, was found dead yesterday evening. The cause of Clark’s death was unknown as of press time. A report in the Press & SunBulletin confirmed her death late Thursday night, only several hours after local media outlets reported that Clark had disappeared. She was reported missing Wednesday afternoon by family members, who initiated a search for her that was led by New York State Police. Fred Goodall, state police senior investigator, told the Press & Sun that police found Clark’s body with her car Thursday evening in Tioga County. University officials, reached late yesterday evening, referred Pipe Dream to State Police, who opted not to comment. Gaby Clark, Valerie’s sister, told the Press & Sun that Clark left her home off Woodside Avenue in the town of Binghamton around 6 p.m. Monday. Clark told her family that she was leaving to attend a meeting on campus. On a Facebook page created in an attempt to share information on Clark’s disappearance, several friends expressed condolences after the news of Clark’s death broke. Kari Whiting, whose Facebook profile indicates she attends SUNY Delhi, articulated the mood of the web page’s posts. “Valerie sweetie, I’m so sorry,” Whiting wrote. “May you find peace wherever you are now.” — Staff Reports
Steve Jobs, Apple wizard, dies at 56 One month after flood, Jennifer Roganti Contributing Writer
The death of Steve Jobs, the former CEO and a co-founder of Apple Inc., resulted in an outpouring of emotion and praise for his life and achievements from around the world. Apple announced Jobs’ death
Paul Sakuma/AP photo
In this June 6, 2011 file photo, Apple CEO Steve Jobs appears during a keynote address at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. Apple said Wednesday that Jobs had died at the age of 56.
Wednesday night and remembered him as a “visionary and creative genius.” The company announced no cause of death, but Jobs had been diagnosed with a rare pancreatic cancer seven years ago and had a liver transplant in 2009. He was 56. The company did not release any details about Jobs’ funeral; a spokesman said there would be no public services. On Thursday, the Apple website, which usually features slick presentations of multicolored iPods and ever-thinner MacBook laptop computers, simply displayed a blackand-white photo of Jobs, thumb and finger to his beard as if in contemplation. For more than 30 years, Jobs has been at the forefront of computer and creative technology innovation. His company’s products, including the iPod, iPhone and iPad, have revolutionized the ways millions of people interact with personal electronic devices. Many Binghamton University students said they were saddened by Jobs’ death because they feel a special connection to Apple technology which plays a big role in their lives. “It is the passing of a titan,” said Jake Tobol, a senior majoring in human development. “He contributed some of the most progressive
innovations in this day and age.” Several echoed Tobol. “I strongly believe that he was one of the most influential men of our time,” said Joe Aloise, a senior majoring in industrial and systems engineering. “I can guarantee you can’t name 10 CEOs of … other companies.” Dennis Foreman, a computer science professor, said computers were originally a tool used by scientists and other professionals, but that Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Apple’s other co-founder, made computers user-friendly. “He took the concept of a computer and made it an everyday appliance,” Foreman said. “I think he changed the way we look at computers.” Kelly Abbate, a sophomore majoring in art, said she admired Jobs’ accomplishments and especially enjoyed listening to his famous 2005 Commencement speech at Stanford titled “How To Live Before You Die.” “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool that I have ever encountered to help me make the big decisions in life,” Jobs said in the 2005 speech. “Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid
See JOBS Page 5
thousands still displaced Susan Lamb Contributing Writer
One month after record-setting floods forced about 30,000 Broome County residents to evacuate their homes, more than 5,000 remain displaced and in need of housing. The flooding caused varying degrees of damage throughout the greater Binghamton area. Local and state officials inspected 10,061 residential properties in Broome County after Tropical Storm Lee hit the region in September and found that 5,318 of them were damaged and 21 of them were destroyed, according to a report in the Press & Sun-Bulletin. The city of Binghamton suffered the greatest total number of damaged properties of any municipality in Broome County, but other nearby municipalities showed higher percentages of properties affected — 90 percent of inspected properties in the Town of Union were damaged by the flooding, the Press & Sun reported.
Eric Denk, administrative assistant to county executive Patrick Brennan, said the county is currently “focus[ed] on the housing issue [and] trying to find an immediate solution.” Some residents have been able to return to their homes already, but many of them face the chore of substantial necessary repairs, according to Denk. “Many are in the process of replacing water heaters, boilers or both,” Denk said. “Many are cleaning up their property still, but some may never be able to reoccupy their houses.” During initial property assessments, the city of Binghamton identified 2,133 properties that sustained flooding damage, according to Tarik Abdelazim, director of planning, housing and community development for the city. Secondary assessments conducted by local code officials revealed that some initial damage assessments were overstated
See FEMA Page 4
Sports Pipe Dream
Volleyball set to take on Providence See page 13
A NEW ERA
Friday, October 7, 2011
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