TUESDAY February 1, 2011
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Preventing violence
According to a model developed by a Binghamton University political science professor, political violence can be accurately predicted and even prevented
The Free Word On Campus for 64 years
Vol. LXXIX, Issue 3
Binghamton University
lifestyles
The Binghamtonics
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The Binghamtonics, BU’s oldest co-ed a cappella group, performed on stage to open for the famed Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular in December
opinion
Smoking bans on college campuses are unnecessary
University forgoes trend of banning smoking Aleksandar Vukasinovic Pipe Dream News
At SUNY campuses from the University at Buffalo to Upstate Medical University, and, most recently, all CUNY schools, smoking cigarettes has been completely banned. Binghamton University, however, currently has no plans to follow suit. BU spokeswoman Gail Glover said that the University is “not looking at such a ban.” But a Pipe Dream survey found that a majority of BU students who were asked would support a smoking ban on campus. Of those surveyed 61 percent indicated that they would either strongly support or somewhat support a smoking ban, and about 25 percent said that they would somewhat or strongly oppose a ban. About 69 percent of respondents reported that they are irritated or annoyed by cigarette smoke or smokers on campus somewhat, to a high degree or to a very high degree, and 31 percent said that they were affected by smoking to a low degree, a very low degree or not at all. Of all those polled, 62 percent indicated that they had never smoked a cigarette, even once. Support for a smoking ban was found even though 37 percent of students at BU reported smoking at least once in their life and 25 percent
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Up in smoke
Bar owner told DJ to shout “fire,” police say Aaron Axelson Assistant News Editor
About 81 percent of students who believe that secondhand smoking is very dangerous to their health said that they were very irritated by cigarette smoke or smokers on campus. Fifty percent of people who believed that secondhand smoke is “not at all” a health concern were “not at all” irritated or annoyed
The owners of both Scoreboard Bar and the Rathskeller Pub were arrested Friday for charges ranging from unlawful sale of alcohol to reckless endangerment for falsely shouting “fire” in a crowded building. According to Binghamton Police Chief Joe Zikuski, the owner of Scoreboard was ticketed for allegedly selling alcohol to persons under 21 inside the bar. The owner of the Rathskeller was ticketed for allegedly endangering the lives of his patrons by claiming there was a fire, according to Zikuski. Upon arrival at Scoreboard Bar at 85 State St., officers entered and located underage students consuming alcohol. Scoreboard owner Ty Fish and bartender Timothy Reardon were ticketed for “Unlawful Sale of Alcohol to Persons under age 21,” a Class A misdemeanor and violation of the Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) Law. A number of underage people were also ticketed for consuming alcohol or possessing alcohol with intent to consume. When asked about the status Fish’s
See SMOKE Page 2
See BAR Page 5
Jules Forrest/Assistant Photo Editor
Although a survey suggests that most students would support a smoking ban on campus, Binghamton University is not considering it. Pictured, a sticker serves as a reminder that smoking is not allowed indoors.
reported smoking within the last 30 days, far above the national average of 16 percent reported in a study by the American College Health Association done in the spring of 2010. Opinion was sharply divided between smokers and non-smokers. About 79 percent of students who never smoked said they would support a campus-wide smoking ban. On the other hand, 30 percent
of students who reported having smoked at least once in their life said they would support a ban. Among frequent smokers, opposition to a ban was more firm. For those who said they smoke a few times a week, 60 percent oppose a ban, and all of those who said they smoke a half of a pack a day indicated they would be strongly opposed to a ban.
Students’ rights group ranks BU third worst for free speech Rob Bellon News Editor
Binghamton University proudly touts its high national rankings, most recently Kiplinger’s rating of affordable quality in higher education, but there is one rating it may not be so eager to flaunt. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) released last week its list of “The 12 Worst Colleges for Free Speech.” BU was No. 3. BU’s rating was due primarily to a 2008 incident in which a student in the College of Community and Public Affairs was punished in connection with entering the University Downtown Center to post fliers in which he disputed the actions of an adjunct lecturer in the school.
FIRE’s rating, published in The Huffington Post, was written by Greg Lukianoff, president of FIRE. BU, Lukianoff wrote, “tried to suspend or expel social work graduate student Andre Massena merely for putting up posters criticizing the department.” Massena’s criticism was directed at adjunct lecturer David Tanenhaus, who was also director of the Binghamton Housing Authority. Massena accused Tanenhaus of injustice toward the poor due to his involvement with the Binghamton Housing Authority. In a letter to Laura Bronstein, the chair of CCPA, Tanenhaus said that a student who had spoken with Massena stated that “[Andre] replied that there had been a misunderstanding with me in the past, but this had been resolved.”
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The charges against Massena were eventually dropped, and he was able to graduate. “Binghamton University shares FIRE’s commitment to free speech on college campuses and we welcome their advocacy efforts,” Glover said. But she also addressed the rating directly. “With respect to the specific article, we do not believe it is a meaningful evaluation of what campuses as a whole are or are not doing relative to speech on campus, but rather serves mostly to promote FIRE as an organization by spotlighting those matters in which the organization is or has been involved,” Glover said. “The specific incidents that place Binghamton on
See CCPA Page 4
Document provided
Binghamton University ranked third in a list of “The 12 Worst Colleges for Free Speech” published in The Huffington Post last week. A major determinant in the ranking was the story of Andre Massena, who was compelled by University faculty members to recant statements made in a poster, pictured above, in which Massena called attention to the “inhumane” evictions of residents of public housing in Binghamton.
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