Spring 2024 Issue 15

Tuesday, February 20, 2024 | Vol. CII, Issue 15 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

‘ALL EYES ON RAFAH’

Hillel, partners host ‘Roots: Two Truths, One Land’

The presentation was led by Roots, an initiative for “Palestinian-Israeli understanding, nonviolence and transformation.”

Vera Then news intern

On Thursday, Hillel at Binghamton hosted “Two Truths, One Land,” a presentation by Noor

A’wad, a Palestinian peace activist, and Orthodox Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger, to explore the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and share pathways to mutual understanding.

Held in the Mandela Room, the program was presented by Roots, a “Palestinian-Israeli initiative for understanding, nonviolence and transformation,” in collaboration with Binghamton University’s Interfaith Council, the Judaic Stud-

CASU and VSA welcome the Year of the Dragon with Lunar Festival

envelopes, usually with money, to symbolize prosperity and best wishes for the new year.

Francene Olegario, publicity chair for VSA and a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, described what bringing the Lunar Festival to Binghamton University means for the community.

ies Department, Israel on Campus Coalition and the Speech and Debate Team. A’wad and Schlesinger engaged in conversation, exchanging insight into historical context and the potential paths toward peace in the Middle East.

According to Ira Glasser, Hillel’s chief executive officer, the event emphasized the importance of diverse narratives and perspectives.

Vestal residents, Town Board divided over SRO status, other concerns

Protestors repeatedly questioned and expressed frustration with Vestal Supervisor Maria Sexton’s concerns with the town’s budget.

Luca Carrese news intern

This past Friday, the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) and the Chinese American Student Union (CASU) came together to host this year’s Lunar Festival in the Mandela Room. Upon entering, attendees were given a red envelope with a piece of candy inside — signaling a typical Lunar Festival tradition where friends and family receive these

“We’re able to cultivate a safe space for other Asian students that might have not been able to go back to the city to celebrate Lunar New Year with their family,” Olegario said. “I think it really means a lot that students can come together and celebrate, even though some people might not celebrate the holiday themselves.”

On Valentine’s Day, Vestal residents gathered at the Town Hall, calling for the school resource officer (SRO) program’s expansion in the Vestal Central School District (CSD).

Currently, four Vestal police officers oversee the district’s six school buildings.

Men’s Swim and Dive wins America East Championship

The

The Binghamton men’s swimming and diving teams tallied

first-place finishes across four days.

caspar carson photo editor Valentine’s Day rally for Palestinian liberation, led by Binghamton Solidarity Committee, draws counterprotest from Binghamton University Zionist Organization.

Over 200 rally for Palestine on Peace Quad

Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their roles in the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has drawn increasing international concern.

Ella

On Valentine’s Day, over 200 community and campus activists came together for a “Free My Palestine” rally on Binghamton University’s Peace Quad.

The event was organized by the Binghamton Solidarity Committee, an independent group, and began at 4:45 p.m. Participants were asked to wear red and bring signs in protest of Israel’s intensifying military campaign in Gaza. Silent counter-protesters, led by Binghamton University’s Zionist Organization (BUZO), arrived shortly before the rally started and stayed for about an hour.

Rally participants were led in chants, including “down down with occupation, up up with liberation,” “not another nickel, not another dime, no more money for Israel’s crimes” and “no justice, no peace.” They called out President Joe

“People must confront this reality, and they should not be given a choice in the matter,” the Binghamton Solidarity Committee wrote in a statement. “Let their traffic be disrupted. Let their eyes be assaulted with flyers, their ears with chants. Even if they walk away, their unconscious will not be able to escape it, and with enough might it will plague their consciousness too.”

Multiple students held signs that read “All Eyes on Rafah,” referencing the city near Gaza’s southern border with Egypt. In October, the Israeli government ordered civilians in Gaza’s north to evacuate south in anticipation of its military’s ground assault. The city, the last designated “safe zone” for Palestinian civilians, houses an estimated 1.4 million displaced Gazans and was recently bombed by the Israel Defense Forces.

An imminent ground invasion in the south of Gaza has drawn concerns from Biden and top United States

officials, who have largely supported Israel in recent months.

One of the rally’s first speakers read a poem, “If I Must Die,” aloud. Written by Refaat Alareer, a Palestinian professor and activist who was killed by an Israeli airstrike in December, the poem begins “If I must die, you must live to tell my story.”

The committee included a list of demands for the University, including implementing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) on campus, creating a Palestinian Studies department, extending protection to Arab students in the face of doxxing and harassment, ending study abroad programs in Israel and upholding an academic and cultural boycott of Israeli universities.

In a chant, protestors specifically accused University President Harvey Stenger of being complicit in the growing humanitarian crisis.

Campus police officers formed a line down the center of the Peace Quad separating rally-goers and counter-protestors — who silently held Israeli flags and signs calling for the return of the about 100 hostages still held by Hamas, and many placed

pieces of black duct tape over their mouths.

Saul Hakim, BUZO’s president and a junior double-majoring in Judaic studies and political science, said that the decision to attend the protest was influenced by multiple factors, including as a direct response to the protest, to raise awareness about the hostages and to reaffirm their Zionist values.

The silent protest also served as a response to a recent Pipe Dream opinion column that has since drawn intense backlash. He added that they wanted the demonstration to serve as a platform for Israeli victims of sexual violence — several students wore shirts reading “#MeToo, unless you’re a Jew.”

“We aimed to assert that, while we uphold the First Amendment rights, our student body will not passively watch external entities propagate their agenda on our campus and make demands that affect our student body, especially as it relates to this issue which is so close to our hearts,” Hakim wrote. “Through visual symbols like posters, taped mouths [and] the wearing of black and yellow ribbons, we aimed to bring attention to all in-

dividuals still unaccounted for.”

A few community members, not affiliated with BUZO, also attended, chanting to “release the hostages” and to “free Gaza from Hamas.” They referred to pro-Palestinian demonstrators as “Nazis.”

Organizers called for the University to sever ties with the Israeli army’s suppliers, including Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems. BU’s Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science has a corporate student partnership with Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems for senior-year capstone projects, with both companies also offering scholarships as well.

“I used to be proud of being part of the premier public university in the state of New York,” a speaker said. “I was proud of the culture that I shared with other students. The Watson [College] to Lockheed Martin pipeline must end. We have talented engineers here at [BU], and instead of investing in public works and infrastructure, we send them straight to the war machine.”

The rally ended with a march to the Couper Administration Building, where

demonstrators left their signs in front of the doors. They then marched past the Admissions Center and back through the University Union.

Aviva Friedman ‘14, a former Working Families Binghamton City councilmember who spoke at the rally, mentioned her Jewish background, emphasizing that she is not a Zionist.

“The Israeli government is doing despicable, reprehensible and indefensible things,” Friedman said. “And as it turns out, genocide does not make people righteous. It just makes people suffer. They told us to never forget. They told us to never forget, and Israel is acting as though we have forgotten.”

As of 10:02 a.m. on Feb. 15, the Israeli military campaign has killed over 28,663 Palestinians, according to PBS. Of the impending attack on Rafah, a United Nations official warned of a slaughter.

“My roommate walks around the house saying it’s not the eyes that are blind but the heart,” a speaker said. “It’s not a matter of being ignorant or unaware. It’s a matter of sensitivity to suffering and the respect for the sanctity of life.”

Orthodox Rabbi, Palestinian peace activist speak

“We hope that this will provide a model to engage in fruitful, even difficult, dialogue that will help everyone in attendance leave feeling more knowledgeable about, and having a window into the nuances of the conflict from those who are living it,” Glasser wrote in an email. “Roots/Shorashim/Judur works within the heart of the conflict, bringing together Palestinians and Israelis to come face-to-face with both the humanity and the identity of the other side.”

Schlesinger explained that both his background and pervasive segregation in Judea and Samaria — more commonly known as the West Bank — led him to become blind to Palestinian truths, saying “if you mistake part of the truth for the whole truth, that’s pretty close to falsehood and that’s

not a place that I want to be,” alluding to his Zionist education and upbringing.

“You have to reconfigure when you think about the past, the present, and the future,” Schlesinger said. “We’re gonna live together, in war or in peace, but we’re gonna live together — gotta get used to that, and that’s really hard. It contradicts the dreams of both sides. And furthermore, we began to see that both sides construct their identities upon the erasure of the other side’s identity. Both sides believe that they can tell the other side who they are.”

He said he felt that the most difficult thing to accept was that the historic boundaries of both Palestine and Israel — “from the river to the sea” — are the same.

Participants were encouraged to reflect on their roles as advocates for hu -

manity. A’wad, who spoke after Schlesinger, expanded on the individual responsibility to take action amid ongoing tensions and to be mindful of others’ perspectives. He said that this will be difficult for some, but listening to the experiences of others can foster peace.

“I will say that what we are trying to do at Roots, […] is that we are not trying to change or erase people’s identities, and we are not trying to just mix everyone in like one identity,” A’wad said. “We do understand that at the end of the day, we have differences — those differences actually make us who we are. But we want our differences in a way that we are accepting each other, not at the expense and by the denial of each other.”

Roots’ work began in 2014, and their peace-building initiatives have included after-school programs,

art workshops and summer camps, solidarity visits to victims of violence, open houses, group meetings and interfaith dialogue. After Schlesinger and A’wad shared their stories, the two participated in a Q&A session. Schlesinger responded to a question about navigating language used by observers and third parties in the ongoing conversation.

“We don’t debate definitions,” Schlesinger said. “We don’t define — we describe to the other who we are, what our identities are and what we experience. I don’t have to put the word Zionism on the board and give it a dictionary definition, [nor] Apartheid or occupation. We get to know each other and hear each other’s experiences.”

Glasser acknowledged that the campus community has experienced division following Hamas’ Oct. 7 at -

tack and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza, sharing Hillel’s commitment to organizing events that facilitate unity, education and dialogue. The sentiment was shared by Saul Hakim, the president of BU’s Zionist Organization and a junior double-majoring in political science and Judaic studies.

“Tonight’s discussions have been a clear testament to the power of breaking free from our echo chambers,” Hakim said. “They’ve shown us that progress doesn’t come from ignorance but from engagement.

[…] They’re the building blocks for the future that we want for ourselves and for our children. There’s not an easy way to step into a conversation where you know that you will be uncomfortable, let alone, given the recent global events and the powerful emotions we all feel. The willingness

of everyone here to engage, to listen and to contribute stands as a testament to the strength of our community.”

On a program provided by organizers, Roots’ 2019 achievements include engaging 3,350 Palestinian and Israeli youths, 45 volunteers and staff members and 18,000 overseas visitors to its center and attendees to speaking tours.

Mia Raskin ‘23, a firstyear graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in business administration, shared the evening’s takeaways.

“The beauty and importance of events like Roots is the value of dialogue and respect that is inherently part of [BU’s] DNA,” Raskin wrote. “The goal was not to leave with the same opinions but to listen, be uncomfortable for two hours and leave with a broader understanding.”

A’wad (left), a Palestinian peace activist, and Orthodox Rabbi Hanan Schlesinger (right) shared their thoughts on achieving peace in the Middle East.

SRO program won’t be discontinued, Sexton says

Town Supervisor Maria Sexton cited budgetary concerns and funding priorities for critical town infrastructure as roadblocks for the program’s expansion. Some residents at the protest and the subsequent Town Board meeting questioned the legitimacy of the recently elected supervisor’s concerns.

Parents, administrators and teachers from the Vestal CSD joined longtime residents in expressing frustration with the board’s handling of the SRO program.

“The four full duty SROs that work in the schools will continue in their present positions,” Sexton wrote in an email. “There is not — and never has been — any plan to change that. The only discussion that has occurred is whether the program would expand, adding additional full-duty officers. In order to expand the program, we would have to find a way to pay for it … next year and every year thereafter. Unfortunately, the prior supervisor — and Board — left the town with serious budget issues. They did not [include] over $4.1 million of essential expenditures in the current budget.”

After Sexton presented Vestal’s infrastructure needs and associated budgetary concerns, the meeting was opened for public comment.

Clifford R. Kasson, the Vestal school superintendent, said that the district had offered to address related concerns by paying half the salary of two new SROs. Sexton’s response led to a contentious, albeit brief, interaction between her and the superintendent, and some residents applauded Kasson before he left the meeting.

John Fletcher, a Vestal resident who organized the Town Hall protest, shared some of the residents’ concerns with the recent developments in the SRO program.

“The reason that the rally was organized was out of concern for the direction that the Town Board is taking,” Fletcher said. “As you can see, the primary driver was the SRO program and the town being able to have their voices heard — that the town’s preference is to remain with active duty Vestal Police officers. The residents feel there is a price being placed on their child’s head, that it’s coming down to a budget decision. I’m dumbfounded with how the supervisor can state that this is not a cost saving, yet she’s saying that the determination for moving forward will be based on cost.”

Some residents entered the meeting assuming that the SRO program would be discontinued entirely because of the budgetary concerns Sexton mentioned. She repeatedly clarified that the program would not be discontinued.

“The four officers are going to stay in place,” Sexton said. “[Residents’] voices have been heard. When we’re structuring the budget, we’re going to pay our bills first and then we’re going to consider how much we can pay for it, to see if we can expand the program. Hopefully, we’re going to be able to expand the program, but it has to be something we can pay for forever if we do it.”

While the meeting’s focus was on the SROs, residents questioned Sexton and the board on other recent local developments. Some asked Sexton about the recent incident where she pulled over a wrong-way motorist on

Vestal Parkway. Councilman Stephen Donnelly said that Sexton should be investigated for her actions. Fellow Councilman Glenn Miller ‘78, who was elected on a slate with Sexton, defended her, saying that he would have done the same.

Sexton was also questioned about the abrupt retirement of former Chief of Police Stace Kintner following the incident. She said that she tried to speak with Kint-

ner, but he retired before they could meet.

Residents and Donnelly accused Sexton, Miller and Robert Greene ‘09, another councilman who also ran on their slate, of consistently voting together, regardless of the issue, which Miller and Greene denied. They also suggested that an illegal quorum had occurred at Town Hall the prior evening, saying that Greene had appeared alongside Sexton and Miller for a

Town Planning Board meeting.

The description of events was immediately rebutted by Greene, who cited his duties as a liaison to the Town Planning Board, adding that he arrived after the meeting had concluded. A resident who had attended the prior night’s meeting shared that only Sexton and Miller had been in attendance and no illegal quorum had occurred, leading to a dispute between the

resident and Donnelly.

“Through the outpouring of public support, I am very pleased to hear that everyone would like to continue the SRO program and its expansion,” Greene, a father to students in the district, said. “It was never on the table to cut [the SRO program], so I’m glad we have discussed it and allayed fears to the public. Essentially, things will be handled when we get to the budget season.”

Meet the professor turned expert witness

Krasno recently served as an expert witness for the FEC and testified last year in a county-level redistricting case.

As campaign season begins to heat up, Jonathan Krasno, a professor of political science and the chair of the Faculty Senate’s Executive Committee, has made a name for himself as an

expert witness in campaign finance and redistricting cases.

Most recently, Krasno testified for the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in their defense against the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which aimed to overturn limits on coordinated expenditures — when a person who wants to support a specific candidate can donate unlimited amounts of money to their party, which can then fund a specific campaign. In this way, large donors can back

candidates indirectly, even if not allowed to directly donate.

“When I was deposed, this was just after Kevin McCarthy had lost his job as Republican speaker and the line was, well, if he’d been able to direct party money more effectively, he could have prevented the revolt against him,” Krasno said.

“But that’s not the way the system’s supposed to work, right? You’re not supposed to be able to use money as a cudgel to force people to do stuff. That’s in fact, exact-

ly what they say you’re not supposed to do.”

Krasno’s experience with political science began over 30 years ago when he and a friend read an article that argued money spent on incumbents’ campaigns had no impact on the vote and weren’t convinced. They found the methods of analysis problematic and decided to do their research to figure out why. In 1993, Krasno and his colleague published their findings, arguing that money spent on incumbents’ campaigns does affect the

number of votes the candidate earns. In what Krasno called a “throwaway line” at the end, they stated that their research meant that campaign finance laws affect both incumbents and challengers.

“It didn’t seem like a lot to us,” he said, “but within a couple of years I got a [call] from the [FEC] asking me about that, and what I thought of a particular law that was being passed, and whether I thought that this made any sense.”

He said he was valuable to the commission because he was “the only person in the country who was in favor of some of the laws that were being passed at the time.” Krasno’s unique position in support of campaign finance regulations and his expertise have led him to serve as an expert witness in several cases since then.

Krasno emphasized that some campaigns raise more money than they can spend, referencing a recent South Carolina Senate race where each candidate raised $100 million, saying it is impossible to spend that amount in a single race, and that “there’s nothing left to buy.”

He also noted the practice of running multimillion-dollar mega-campaigns is partially perpetuated by voters because many don’t pay attention to politics. As a result, campaigns can afford to push vague, short commercials that hold a viewer’s attention long enough for them to remember the candidate but not necessarily

know anything more. The more money a campaign earns, the more ads they can run.

“The complaints that people have about these high spending campaigns with these dumbed-down messages [are] like a self fulfilling prophecy — we’re going to get those things because that’s the audience that’s out there,” Krasno said. “Until we have a different audience, [then] we’re going to be sort of rewarded for this … If the public was tuned in, we wouldn’t need to have multimillion-dollar campaigns.”

More recently, Krasno has provided expert analysis on a redistricting case in Broome County, which was brought by county residents alleging that the County Legislature had violated redistricting guidelines by choosing a map that split the Town of Maine into three separate districts. In his research, Krasno found that the county had ignored certain state districting laws in drawing its 2020 maps, which as a result, gave an advantage to local Republicans. A court rejected the gerrymandered map, ordering it redrawn. Krasno earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his master’s and Ph.D. at the University of California-Berkeley. His research interests include American politics, public opinion and campaigns and campaign finance. He won the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2010-2011.

karlie mcgann staff photographer John Fletcher, a Vestal resident who organized a protest about the school resource officer program, speaks to the crowd gathered outside Vestal’s Town Hall.

OPINIONS

I wrote an opinions piece on Feb. 11 for Pipe Dream entitled “Sexual trauma does not justify further violence in Palestine.” Since its publication, many details have been misinterpreted and I’d like to set the record straight.

First and foremost, the problem I isolated is the way the New York Times (NYT) manipulated Gal Abdush’s family and a grainy video to push a certain narrative Regardless, my argument

is not that Abdush’s story is unimportant. My argument is that her story is being unjustly used to perpetuate racism against Palestinian folks and support their demonization in the media.

I apologize for not making it more clear that I believe Israeli women have experienced trauma and have been terrorized by Hamas in my original column. The NYT’s article is one specific article that has distorted events from Oct. 7, but that does not mean sexual violence did not occur that day and is not actively occuring. We should believe all women, including

Israeli women. Political beliefs should not invalidate anyone’s trauma nor should they prevent them from receiving proper resources. Furthermore, there are many Israeli women who have experienced sexual violence despite NYT’s failure to cover first-hand testimony — as sexual violence is understandably difficult to discuss both in private and public.

However, my original column is only critiquing the NYT’s appropriation and near-fetishization of Israeli women’s trauma, namely that of Abdush. Abdush’s sister publicly criticized the NYT

article’s highly romanticized language and publicly denied her sister’s rape, although this statement has since been deleted on social media. The original column has been edited to reflect backlash against the NYT’s manipulation of Abdush’s story and not their definitive factual insufficiency. Note that in the original column, I misnomered the victim and her sister — Gal Abdush is the victim of sexual assault in the NYT article and Miral Alter is her sister. After reviewing the column and several sources, this factual mistake has been corrected along with additional

rhetorical concerns — see the editor’s note for more information.

My argument is that we should never condone one woman’s trauma to justify another’s. In my original column, I cited multiple instances of Palestinian women coming forward with their stories of sexual and reproductive abuse, which many have called misinformation while claiming to believe all women, which is incredibly ironic.

Ultimately, Israeli women’s very real sexual trauma should never justify the also real systemic

rape, harrassment and abuse of Palestinian women — bringing justice to Palestinian women is not and should never be mutually exclusive with listening to Israeli women nor is it mutually exclusive with condemning Hamas — and Western media outlets, such as the NYT, need to take accountability for their erasure of Palestinian trauma in privileging one group over another.

Julie Ha is a junior double-majoring in English and comparative literature and is Pipe Dream’s Assistant Opinions Editor.

A Letter to the Editor is a column written by a writer not affiliated with Pipe Dream, sent in for publication in response to a column or article previously published. In this case, this is in response to Julie Ha’s 2/11 column.

To Julie,

I notice we have some things in common, yet many differences between us.

Considering our shared demographic as women attending this university, I initially assumed we’d agree on the significance of believing survivors when they share their stories of assault and rape. I hoped that, despite our political differences, we could unite under the banner of feminism and elevate the voices of women and men affected by violence. I assumed you would believe me when I mentioned the physical assault I experienced in the dorms

during my first year. Lastly, I expected you wouldn’t categorize my assault as “debunked” and “alleged” simply because you disagree with my country of origin. However, after reading this article and taking the time to internalize your approach to the conflict, I see the truth. You do not believe women — you do not fully support women, and you are not a true believer nor advocate of the Me Too movement.

I wonder at what point you’d stop believing my story as you have with the Israeli survivors. Would it be when I mention I’m Jewish? When I mention how my family’s lineage traces back to the land of Judea and Israel?

At what point would you see me as a stepping stone to your narrative rather than a survivor?

I am sure you meant well with your article and were hoping to shed light on the inequities Palestinian women face during this conflict. However, your method of approaching this issue was indefensible, even with your later edits.

As a woman who has both suffered assault and antisemitism, I intimately know how

hard it is never to get justice. For people to blame you, discredit you and illustrate narratives that frame victims as provocative and deserving of their pain. They often choose to forgo factual evidence and paint the picture that best serves their objective, just like you have. Your article is not the first to do this, and unfortunately, it won’t be the last. Numerous reports and documented cases illustrate the tragic reality faced by Israeli and Palestinian women at the hands of Hamas. There are videos, audio recordings and photographs displaying Hamas’ celebrations following the rape and murder of my people and parading their brutalized bodies around as trophies. Before writing this article and taking the responsibility to represent my community, I rewatched the footage filmed and streamed by Hamas operatives. What I witnessed was sheer brutality, genocide and hate. I watched as life left the bodies of innocent people, as community members hid in fear while murderers and captors laughed and praised their god and as blood

streamed through a once clean floor. In my pursuit of further proof, I read how bullets were found in the breasts and genitals of women, and semen was found on their person as well. If you have not watched the videos and read articles from both perspectives, as I have, I strongly urge you to do so before denying a truth proven time and time again. The ideas you have that say women’s torture was “debunked” are not only untrue but a testament to how journalism has become an environment where even the least educated and affected people can share their antisemitic rhetoric with little to no facts to support their claims.

As I’m sure you agree, it’s crucial to recognize that these assaults, murders and war crimes by Hamas, PLO, Hezbollah, and their allies extend far beyond a single date, such as Oct. 7, and are indicative of broader patterns of violence perpetuated against Israeli and Palestinian citizens. The idea that many pro-Palestinian groups, like Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), call Hamas members martyrs, re-

fuse to condemn their actions and treat them as heroes is both mindboggling and painful. Please, Julie, for a minute, put yourself in the shoes of the woman who faced this savage butchery. Imagine what it would be like to have your rapist deified and celebrated for his actions, for people to excuse your rape as an act of resistance as if your body is merely a weapon with which they can overturn a government they disagree with. When I was assaulted, it never crossed my mind that my assaulter was mad at the American government, and that’s why I was violated. I sincerely hope you agree that sentiment is ridiculous.

If not, I pray your view clears up, your heart unhardens and you can join me as a member of women who believe in women and don’t use their stories as a weapon to perpetuate stereotypes and harm.

As a woman, a future mother, a Jew, a descendant of Holocaust survivors and a descendant of survivors of millennia of discrimination and persecution, I feel for the Palestinians. I pray for their safety, in the same

breath that I pray for my family — the Jews and Israeli citizens (of all religions) safety.

I believe all women. I pray for peace in Israel, in Gaza, throughout the Middle East and around the world more than anything.

The fact that you cannot say the same and instead choose to spew misinformation and speak with such carelessness and hatred is the biggest difference between us.

May we, in the future, find common ground in a commitment to developing empathy and a shared dialogue that honors, aids and protects both the Palestinian and Israeli People.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Note to Reader: While I am not a victim of rape, and I pray I never am, I have experienced a physical assault in my past. If you, like me, want to support women who have gone through attacks and assaults, please use your voice and donate what you can. Together, we can make a change.

Miriam Frankel is a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience.

FAFSA was unclear, with a large banner on the website only stating that it would be available before Dec. 31, 2023. The form was not available until the middle of the week, Dec. 24 and it was not up for very long either. The website continuously shut down in the middle of students attempting to fill their forms out due to “scheduled maintenance” and the site would not be available again for days at a time. Many students, additionally, have been unable to complete the form at all.

The spotty release of the FAFSA has only created more issues for students who rely on financial aid and loans, making it even harder to access and process the form. Multiple schools have had to push their financial aid announcements — and thus the usual May 1 commitment deadline — back as a result of the form’s processing issues. According to Justin Draeger and Ted Mitchell, two educa-

tors with intensive knowledge of financial aid and its importance to students, “the department notified schools on Jan. 30, the day that they were supposed to get detailed information to determine how much aid was available for each student, that schools would not receive that data until sometime in the first half of March, leaving colleges scrambling to determine how best to issue aid offers as soon as possible.”

For many students, how much financial aid they receive from each college is vital to where they eventually decide to go to university, with costs of education being so high that students simply cannot afford to attend college without student loans and scholarships.

The delays in the FAFSA are adding more stress to students who depend upon financial aid to make college decisions, and the demanding process of applying to college is only being made

tougher by these delays and issues. On the FAFSA form, there are more than 10 issue alerts, notifying students and parents of issues that may prevent them from filling out the form or from the form saving their information, forcing students to spend more time inputting their tax information.

In addition, it is those who rely on and need financial aid the most that will be overwhelmingly affected by these issues. In a New York Times opinion article, Draeger and Mitchell write that “some students may be pressured into making one of the most significant financial decisions of their lives without having a complete picture of their options. Others may delay enrolling in college for another year, once the aid application process is running more smoothly.” What was supposed to help make college more affordable and accessible is now simply putting it out of reach for many students.

The Department of Financial Aid has also been unhelpful in fixing these issues. When students or parents attempt to call the FAFSA hotline phone number, where questions regarding the form can be directed, there is simply a voice recording informing callers that they are not currently taking calls. There is also an AI chat option on the FAFSA website that is unable to answer beyond a few simple questions, leaving parents and students struggling with the already difficult to fill out form. Another detrimental change the FAFSA made is changing the way that their estimated aid is calculated. In past years, the form would take into account factors including parental income and savings as well as how many students each family currently had in college. Now, however, the FAFSA is no longer accounting for how many children each family has to support in college,

leading to higher costs for families that already cannot afford higher education.

It is time for a better system that better takes into account students’ and families’ financial needs and allows them to fill out the form and receive financial aid updates in a timely manner. The current FAFSA and all of its issues are simply unfair to students who rely on this money to attend college and who now cannot make an informed decision for months to come. The inability to efficiently provide financial aid to students in this country is something that must be remedied because the current system is not sustainable.

Sam Rigante is a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law.

Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staff Editorial.

Sam Rigante Opinions Columnist

CASU and VSA co-host Lunar Festival

Attendees were invited to play a variety of both Vietnamese and Chinese games. Vietnamese games included Tiên Len, a card game where the goal is to be the first to empty their hands by playing different combinations like pairs or runs and Bầu Cua Tôm Cá, a gambling game where individuals must bet on what six animals will be visible after the board is spun.

Chinese games included Chinese poker where players place 13 cards into three separate hands and compete to have the highest ranking combinations against their opponents’ hands as well as pin the trail on the dragon, in honor of 2024 being the year of the dragon.

Hannah Nguyen, senior advisor for VSA and a senior majoring in chemistry, shared her favorite tradition of Lunar New Year.

“I know it’s very tacky to say, but the food,” Nguyen said. “At home, my family and I would go around with the food that we cook and we would go around our house and pray to bless our food and give our ancestors their blessing before we eat and then after that, we would eat the food ourselves.”

Both organizations provided guests with traditional

Vietnamese and Chinese food.

VSA had Bún Gà Nướng, a vermicelli noodle dish that is typically served with lemongrass chicken and nước chấm, a dipping sauce that can have the flavor combinations of sweet, salty, spicy and savory. CASU had mango sago, a refreshing cold treat that includes mango, condensed milk, coconut milk and tapioca.

Tom Huang, co-cultural chair for CASU and a junior majoring in biology, described the process of putting together the event.

“The biggest thing for us was figuring out what style of event we wanted to do,” Huang said. “Last year it was less like a fair and more like stations where you could do different DIYs. We wanted to have more of an interactive experience and once we figured that out, it was pretty easy from there.”

Nguyen added on to the logistics behind the event.

“It was a lot to consider,” Nguyen said. “A lot of factors and a lot of things that came up that we didn’t expect, but we handled them well. I think it was fun to think about how we could change Lunar New Year this year to make it better from last year so we put in more games, we added a ticket prize system and I’m really satisfied with how it came out.”

There were also two photo opportunities for guests, one with a VSA backdrop and another for CASU. Both places included string lights and props like red lanterns.

Thomas Li, co-cultural chair for CASU and a sophomore majoring in biology, described why he joined CASU.

“I came here looking for Asian friends because I went to a primarily white school, so I wanted to get more in touch with my culture and what I grew up with,” Li said. “My parents were immigrants, and they were really big on passing down traditions, so what I wanted to do as a cultural chair was to spread cultural awareness to everybody else on campus and make sure everybody else knows about Chinese culture.”

Tina Nguyen, co-cultural chair of VSA and a sophomore majoring in computer science, described what she hopes guests take away from the event.

“I hope that attendees get a taste of both cultures because we are different even though we’re in the relatively same area,” Nguyen said. “I hope they can get a taste of our games and get to know more about our cultures and be well-rounded.”

Students participate in 24 Hour Draw-A-Thon

or so hours, with some help from the [department of art and design] Student Advisory Committee.”

Jordan Kornreich, co-organizer of the 24 Hour DrawA-Thon and lecturer in the department of art and design, explained the process of setting up for the marathon.

“In retrospect, it’s difficult to determine where setting up for this event truly started,” Kornreich wrote in an email. “Getting the room ready for the event was only a part of what has been a fairly involved process. Arranging the still life was sculptural by nature, which is often how I approach setting things up for making two-dimensional work from as a point of reference. This was a fairly physical task that took the better part of eight

This past Friday, the department of art and design kicked off their 24 Hour Draw-A-Thon. The Draw-AThon took place from 10 a.m. on Friday to 10 a.m. on Saturday, with 20 students completing charcoal drawings on 4-foot by 5-foot surfaces in the painting studio of the Fine Arts Building, room 358. The Draw-A-Thon was sponsored by the department of art and design, the Art Co-Op, Harpur’s Edge and Celsius. The first-place winner was awarded $500, the second-place winner was awarded $250 and the third-place winner received a basket of fine arts supplies.

In the center of Fine Arts 358 stood a massive still-life arrangement which the artists drew from. Some of the items in the still-life included two life-sized skeletons, glass bottles, fake fruits, fabrics and musical instruments. Lots of people came in and out of the room to observe the artists at work. In the front of the room, donations were being accepted for a nonperishable item drive that the Draw-A-Thon was also hosting. Celsius provided drinks at the event for the participants as well.

Madison Mark, a student advisory representative for the Student Advisory and a senior double-majoring in so-

cial work and art and design, highlighted her reasons for participating in the Draw-AThon. “I have a few reasons for participating in the drawing marathon — to challenge my own abilities as an artist and to ensure the event runs smoothly,” Mark wrote. “In addition to these, there are other goals for the marathon. One is to collect nonperishable donations for the local food pantries of Binghamton, which are at a record low this year. Additionally, we aim to provide a space where artists can overcome challenges and feel more confident in their abilities.”

In-person voting for the Draw-A-Thon took place starting at 4 p.m. on Friday. Attendees were welcome to

come and cast their vote for who they thought should win, with the student-voted artist receiving the second place prize. Online voting for this started at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Sarah Nance, assistant professor of integrated practice in the department of art and design, DeCarlo Logan, lecturer of art and design and Francis Chang, lecturer of art and design, were the official judges of the Draw-A-Thon. The three faculty members chose the winners of the first and third place prizes.

Samantha Ballin, president of the Art Co-Op and a senior double-majoring in art and design and English, described what the Draw-AThon is all about, as well as her favorite part of the event.

“The 24 hour drawing

marathon provides students with a unique opportunity to challenge themselves and is a great way to showcase some of the amazing artists that Binghamton University has to offer,” Ballin wrote in an email. “While the marathon is a competition, I believe that it brings student artists across different disciplines together. I was in the marathon last year and had an amazing time participating, so I was more than eager to help run it this year.”

The Draw-A-Thon concluded with the announcement of the first, second and third place winners, as well as awarding them their prizes. Contestants admired each other’s work and reflected on all they accomplished in the last 24 hours.

jared chen contributing photographer The festival brought Chinese and Vietnamese traditions together to celebrate Lunar New Year.

dragon from page 1

20 BU artists took on the challenge of completing a charcoal drawing in 24 hours.

Lily Marczak arts & culture contributor

Kahan’s last deluxe re-release of ‘Stick Season’

“Stick Season (Forever)” brings a bit of new energy to a beloved three-album cycle.

Andrew Ashinoff arts & culture contributor

It seems as though Noah Kahan is taking over Northeastern America. The singer-songwriter double threat has been on an unbelievable run with the three album folk-pop series, “Stick Season,” and it doesn’t seem like he has any plans to take his foot off the gas. Following a year culminating in a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, Kahan released the last deluxe rerelease of the “Stick Season” album last Friday, Feb. 9.

As the latest and final entry in the trilogy, “Stick Season (Forever)” includes the ‘new’ content, such as one brand new track, six previously released singles made up of featured artists on some of his more popular songs and two brand new features on “You’re Gonna Go Far” and “Paul Revere.”

While the previous rerelease, “Stick Season (We’ll

All Be Here Forever)” had more in the way of fresh content, “Stick Season (Forever)” brings the entirety of the album full circle in a neat 30-song package, clocking in with a two-hour duration on the nose.

In order to truly dive into this deluxe edition, it’s important to focus on the new and exciting things that it brings to the table.

The only truly new piece we were treated with, “Forever,” is a slow and sentimental track — a mood featured in many of Kahan’s releases.

Unsurprisingly, the song’s poignant lyrics and emotional delivery are strong and evoke a reminiscent feeling similar to the feeling brought out by his hit track “Northern Attitude.” Kahan alluded to the comparison in a tweet, stating mysteriously “The forever to northern attitude pipeline,” months before the song actually released.

The only other brand new content featured on the album consists of a Brandi Carlile feature on “You’re Gonna Go Far,” and a Gregory Alan Isakov feature on “Paul Revere.” Neither feature alters their respective

song radically, but both add a raw new take on some really solid tracks from Kahan’s repertoire. Carlile brings some much appreciated harmonies to the tune, and Isakov adds a gravelly depth to “Paul Revere” that is well reflective of the lyrical matter. Overall, they’re two solid additions to the mass of folk-pop anthems Kahan has assembled in the “Stick Season” run.

In addition to the three previously mentioned recordings, Kahan gave six previously released singles official album releases. These tracks feature a myriad of pop stars such as Post Malone, Lizzy McAlpine and Hozier to name a few. The issue is, most of these tracks have been out for months already. They’ve already been circulating the radio channels and streaming charts, and there isn’t much more to say about them besides the fact that they put an interesting spin on some already fantastic songs. That isn’t to say that the new recordings aren’t great, just that it’s not abundantly clear why this warranted another deluxe rerelease rather than a delayed release on the first

deluxe album.

When taken in all at once, “Stick Season (Forever)” is a two-hour epic containing some of Kahan’s most popular tracks from the last year. When put under a magni-

fying glass, it isn’t exactly obvious whether or not the three new tracks actually warranted a rerelease, but the content is appreciated either way. That being said, it’s difficult to grade some-

soUrced From spotiFy

thing with such high peaks as anything less than a solid record.

Rating: 3/5 stars

‘One Day (2024)’ blurs love, grief and friendship

The limited series presents an emotional and heartfelt adaption of the David Nicholls novel.

Revati Gelda asst. arts & culture editor

Based on the novel by David Nicholls, Netflix’s limited series “One Day” (2024) follows Emma Morley (Ambika Mod) and Dexter ‘Dex’ Mayhew (Leo Woodall) over the course of nearly two decades as they slip in and out of each other’s lives.

The two first meet on the night of July 15, 1988, when they find themselves at the

same graduation party, celebrating their leave from the University of Edinburgh. When their eyes meet on the dance floor, one can be left wondering how their relationship will progress.

That same night, Dex goes back to Emma’s place, and while they do make out, the extent of their hookup stops there. They end up talking late into the night, which, for Dexter, is something he doesn’t do, but he finds himself enjoying Emma’s company.

They spend the early hours of the morning together, where Emma takes him to Arthur’s Seat — a hill in Scotland. This scene serves as an intimate moment. No one else surrounds them and their view

looks out onto the city, reminding them that their lives are just beginning.

When they part ways in the last few minutes of the first episode, it remains uncertain when and where they will meet again. With Dex planning to travel around Europe and Emma looking for work, the story hints at their paths beginning to separate.

It is from here that each successive episode, save for the last two which includes multiple years, takes place exactly one year apart from each other and is a snapshot of the same day — July 15.

This form of linear progression shows not only growth, but also regression in the characters. Emma and Dex go

through a whirlwind of changes involving their careers and relationships as the years go by. In 1990, while Emma is working in a restaurant to make ends meet, Dex slowly gains fame and money as he begins hosting game shows. When Dex’s mom dies from cancer in 1992, he spirals and quickly turns to drugs and alcohol, which he holds onto as a crutch throughout his late 20s. All the while, Emma is making strides in her teaching career and attempting to write her own work whenever she can. The constant ebb and flow these characters experience with not only each other, but with the world around them, is what makes this show so

compelling. Through letters and phone calls, they attempt to stay connected, but Emma can feel Dex drifting away as he continues to immerse himself in his bad habits.

In episode seven, the year is 1994 and Dex takes Emma to an uncomfortably over-the-top restaurant, hoping to impress her into his lavish lifestyle. Throughout the episode, there is tension simmering between Dex’s incessant arrogance toward Emma and the ways in which she begins to realize that she does not recognize who he has become. Both Mod and Woodall perform some of their best acting in this episode. The tension that had been building up during the episode finally comes to fruition in the fight scene between Emma and Dex, and this is what eventually severs their friendship for the foreseeable future.

Dex, who is drunk out of his mind, takes Emma for granted, not believing that she wants to end their six year friendship. While Emma, who is hurt beyond belief, does what she has to and walks away.

It is not until three years later, in 1997, when they reunite at a mutual friend’s wedding, that they begin to talk again and try to mend the wounds of the past.

As the two walk around a maze located on the grounds of the venue, they attempt to catch up on each other’s lives. Emma begins softening up to him, noticing that he seems like his old self. But this feeling of familiarity quickly fades when he tells her that he’s en-

gaged and expecting a baby.

Emma, who feels like she’s lost him all over again, is uncertain whether they could maintain their friendship, knowing Dex will naturally get busy with married life. This intimate confession leads him to reassure her that nothing will change and in the heat of the moment, they share a kiss so soft one could miss it.

Again two years pass, and it’s 1999 when Emma and Dex are officially together.

While it’s only been 11 episodes, one can feel the passage of time between each one. It’s like an exhale when both characters admit their feelings for each other. It feels well-earned and the relationship begins at a time when both characters have grown enough on their own that when they come together, it just fits.

But similarly to the BBC Three show “Normal People,” “One Day” ends in absolute heartbreak as Emma tragically dies in a bike accident on July 15, 2002.

The story ends with an exploration into Dex’s grief between the years 2003, 2004 and 2007. In those first two years, he heavily drinks, isolating himself as he finds it unbearable to live life without Emma.

It’s not until four years go by that we see Dex beginning to heal and celebrating Emma’s life by revisiting the places they experienced together on the first day they met. It’s a bittersweet ending as time has softened the hurt within Dex, but Emma’s absence will always be felt.

Rating: 4.5/5

“Stick Season (Forever)” adds a sentimental new track and two more collaborations.

soUrced From screen rant

This limited series is an emotional exploration into the complicated friendship between Emma (Ambika Mod) and Dexter (Leo Woodall).

Level : medium    Date : 2024-02-12

Level : hard    Date : 2024-02-16

ACROSS------------,

I) Carplike fish

5) Hired thugs

10) Recipe meas.

14) Primo rating

15) Judging group

16) Miscellaneous medley

1 7) Knocked out

20) Crumble to the sea, as shoreline

21) Tiger's rival, sometimes

22) Cigarette ingredient

23) "Good_!" (praise for a batter)

26) "Yuck!"

27) Org. of Wizards and Warriors

30) Lip-_ (mouth the words)

32) Letters on an ambulance

34) Light-headed?

36) Have great respect for

39) "_ on a true story"

40) Throwing a match, in the rmg

BOX SET

42) Iranian language

44) Give, as blood

45) Raises cattle

47) Game, _ and match

48) Cleaning cloths

52) Drink refresher

53) Letters on a tachometer

55) Amniotic

57) '60s war zone, infonnally

58) Faunas' kin

61) What cats and rats do?

63) Give up

67) Flue dirt

68) Guided trips

69) Bulb measure

70) Identifies

71) "Forest and Dove" painter Max

72) Caustic materials

B Kenneth Holt

DOWN

I) Middies' opponents

18th February

2) Hip appendage?

3) Like new clothes on the rack

4) Assume a stooped posture

5) Where IRS forms are made

6) Small-boat mover

7) Not fooled by

8) 1960s jacket eponym

9) Santa's vehicle

10) Hammer, for one

11) Puritanical person

12) What God says not to do

13) It may call the kettle black

18) Professional payment

19) Share an apartment

24) Bigfoot's cousin

25) Correct a manuscript

28) Buzzing insect

29) Stick in

31) Stop

33) Lily family members

35) Four-time Wimbledon champ Rod

37) Hard-luck area

38) Currycombs comb them

40) Arboreal amphibian

41) Computer input or output

42) "Most Wanted" org.

43) Rainbow, e.g.

46) Elfish one

49) "As I was saying "

50) Reproductive cell

51) Runs a blast furnace

54) Bruce Wayne's home, for one

56) Old PC display part

59) Land parcels

60) Take aback

62) Wolfs wail

63) Little sister of 10-Across

64) Unharden a garden

65) Stats for sluggers (Abbr.)

66) Fish story suffix?

Men’s basketball rolls past NJIT on the road

be another team,” Sanders said. “I thought that we definitely controlled the pace … when we were trying to execute, we were trying to use [Balogun] inside to create offense for us.”

After being defeated by UMBC 89-78 on its home floor, the Binghamton men’s basketball team bounced back on Saturday afternoon for its fourth America East (AE) win by defeating NJIT 69-55 in Newark, New Jersey, completing the season sweep of the Highlanders. With both teams going neck to neck in the first few minutes, the Bearcats ultimately pulled away with its strong presence in the paint, outscoring NJIT 38-16 in the paint en route to a comfortable 14-point victory.

“For us, every win is important,” said Binghamton head coach Levell Sanders. “For the most part, we did a really good job of sticking to what we needed to do and being committed to what we needed to do … we were able to come out with a much needed win.” NJIT (7-17, 3-9 AE) got the scoring started with a threepointer, but Binghamton (12-13, 4-8 AE) responded after senior guard Armon Harried found senior forward Nehemiah Benson inside to make it 3-2. After another three-pointer from NJIT, a hook shot from senior forward Tariq Balogun and two free throws from Harried knotted things at six. Both teams traded baskets as BU held a 12-11 advantage nearly 10 minutes in.

“You have to look to be who you are as a team and not try to

After the midway point of the first half, the Bearcats’ offense stayed hot, with graduate student guard Dan Petcash knocking down a corner three and Harried slamming one in not long after as BU extended its lead to seven at 20-13. Binghamton then went up by as much as eight courtesy of baskets from junior guard Tymu Chenery and Balogun. However, the tides began to turn as the Highlanders responded with a 6-0 run to cut the BU lead to 30-28. Petcash capped off the first half with a jump shot to give the Bearcats a 32-28 lead going into halftime.

“[Harried is] a super athlete, and he needs to use his athleticism to get out of transition, to get easy baskets [and] to rebound the ball,” Sanders said. “He makes us a much better team when he is being who he is … getting out and running and defending.”

Petcash and Chenery got on the board early in the second half, making it a 6-0 Bearcat run stemming from the end of the first half, to go up by 10 points at 38-28. After the Highlanders stopped the bleeding, BU’s offense stayed hot as graduate student guard Symir Torrence lobbed one to Chenery to extend the lead back to 10. Both teams exchanged baskets as BU held onto a 46-36 advantage.

“When we do the things that we need to do defensively

and offensively we are a really good team,” Sanders said. “It was just the commitment to doing the things we needed to do. Sometimes those things are tough, and you need multiple efforts, and I thought we had that tonight.”

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Petcash drained a three-pointer with the shot clock winding down to make it 49-38. NJIT came back with a three-ball of its own but as the Highlanders looked to

crawl back, Binghamton drew fouls in the paint to keep the momentum. The Bearcats sustained a comfortable lead, shutting down any potential NJIT runs with made shots of their own. BU sealed the game from the free throw line to secure a 69-55 victory. “I want to see us really be committed to being Binghamton and playing Binghamton style of basketball,” Sanders said. “I told the guys, we can do that.

Consistently. We can finish this stretch in a good manner.”

In Torrence’s return from injury, he tallied eight assists and eight rebounds. Sanders had high praise for the graduate student guard, acknowledging how he adds a whole different element to the Bearcats’ offense with his passfirst mentality and leadership on the court.

“[Torrence] had eight assists and it really highlights his voice,” Sanders said.

“[Torrence] was really aggressive with his voice. He was talking. He was leading … It was definitely great having him back and again having him back moves everybody back to their natural positions which is good for us.”

Binghamton will enter its final stretch of AE play and take on UMass Lowell on Thursday, Feb. 22. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Costello Athletic Center in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Women’s basketball blows out NJIT on senior day

were just very confident with their shooting … They were knocking them down, which is great.”

On Saturday afternoon, the Binghamton women’s basketball team secured a 68-48 win on senior day against NJIT. After maintaining a comfortable lead for the majority of the contest, the Bearcats made the most of their late-game surge over the Highlanders to claim the victory.

“I really never say hit your shots, but I say share the basketball, and they did a tremendous job making that extra pass,” said Binghamton head coach Bethann Shapiro Ord. “You could see by all our 14 assists … They

Binghamton (11-15, 6-7 America East [AE]) got on the board early with two quick layups from graduate student guard Denai Bowman. However, NJIT (9-16, 1-11 AE) responded, going on a 10-2 run to take a 10-6 lead. After some back and forth, BU gained some momentum ending the period on a 10-0 run, including two three point baskets from sophomore guard/forward Camryn Fauria, sophomore guard Meghan Casey and freshman guard Bella Pucci. Going into the second period, the Bearcats clutched an 18-12 lead.

“We talked about some adjustments we had to make,” Shapiro Ord said. “We

talked about getting stops — to keep attacking, [and] not letting up. [We mentioned] attacking both ends, and we did that offensively and defensively.”

BU maintained the momentum to sustain a comfortable lead as quick baskets from Fauria and junior forward Genevieve Coleman made it a 22-12 game. Despite some pushback from the Highlanders, BU stayed ahead as a jump shot from Bowman made it a 12-point game at 32-20. With baskets traded between both teams, BU went into halftime up 3624.

“We have to focus on one game at a time,” Shapiro Ord said.

Coming out of halftime, redshirt sophomore guard Jadyn Weltz found Coleman

to start the scoring for BU in the third period. The Bearcats and Highlanders went neck to neck in the quarter, as the visitors cut the lead to seven at 40-33, midway through the period. However, Binghamton kept some distance, with a three-pointer from Coleman as the squad took a 47-38 advantage going into the fourth quarter.

“We saw in the games earlier in the season that we had a tendency not to completely give up, but our offense really slowed down in the second [half],” Coleman said. “I think as we worked on it in practice, we really hounded on keeping that momentum from first to second half and just knowing your teammates — knowing when to cut and knowing how they play is a big aspect in our game.”

Binghamton’s momentum persisted against the Highlanders in the final period. The Bearcats put the game out of reach when they went on a 17-0 run to take a 68-46 lead. Weltz netted six points and Casey scored five points during that stretch. When the final buzzer sounded, BU came out on top, defeating NJIT 68-48.

“We emphasized just the continual attacking,” Shapiro Ord said. “That has to be our mindset. These ladies know that their destiny is in their hands.”

Fauria led the Bearcats with 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals on 7-of-8 shooting from the field. Behind her was Coleman with nine points. Weltz added eight points, five rebounds and

four assists in the winning effort. As a team, the Bearcats shot 46.7 percent from the field while holding the Highlanders to just 30.5 percent shooting from the field.

“My point guard [Weltz] — when she dribbles the ball down the court, she is looking for me every single time and I appreciate that more than she knows,” Coleman said. “Having her on the floor, looking for me, [getting] ball to me, [passing] and finishing it — that’s all her.”

The Bearcats will remain at home to take on UMass Lowell on Thursday, Feb. 22 to finish off their final home stretch of the regular season. Tipoff is set for 6:07 p.m. at the Dr. Bai Lee Court at the Events Center in Vestal, New York.

Torrence dishes eight assists in return, BU wins 69-55.

Johnny Yang sports editor

Bowman, Delicado, O’ Connor honored during ceremony.

Ava Voss sports contributor

jacob gressin assistant photo editor

Senior forward Tariq Balogun tallied 14 points and six rebounds in BU’s 69-55 win against NJIT on Saturday afternoon.

caspar carson photo editor

Sophomore guard/forward Camryn Fauria scored a season high 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Binghamton’s 68-48 win over NJIT on senior day.

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Men’s Swim and Dive crowned AE champions

swim from page 1

Binghamton wins third AE title in program history.

Jacob Knipes assistant sports editor

For the second time in four years, the Binghamton men’s swimming and diving team captured the America East (AE) championship title. Competing over the stretch of four days in Lexington, Virginia, the Bearcat men outlasted Bryant for the title — nabbing multiple gold medals and rewriting the record books along the way. Also competing was the Binghamton women’s swimming and diving team, who finished fifth out of seven teams.

“We’re just proud of the group to really kind of band together and pull out a true team effort,” said Binghamton head coach Jerry Cummiskey. “We had one of our top guys go

down and get injured and was pretty much out for the week, so they had to rally around him and pick him up. They did it so it’s exciting.”

Both squads started strong on day one by taking gold in three out of the four relay events. Spearheading the effort with an AE recordsetting time of 6:28.94 in the 800 free was the quartet of seniors Henry Shemet, Jake Vecchio, Liam Murphy and sophomore Liam Preston to secure BU’s third straight title in the event. Shemet continued to swim through injury on the day, anchoring the 200 medley relay alongside sophomore Max Kaback, junior Elijah Lanfear and senior Eric Kroon to take first with a time of 1:26.48 — another AE record. Rounding out the day’s efforts on the women’s side were freshman Haley Nowak, sophomore Olivia Philbrick and seniors Courtney Moane and Maddie Hoover with a

school-record timesheet of 1:41.51 to secure first in the 200 medley relay.

“We just started with confidence and really built from that,” Cummisky said. “We’ve won the 800 free on the men’s side before and that was our strongest going in, but to win the medley in the fashion we did was certainly exciting and set the tone that we can do this.”

On day two of the championship, several Bearcat men clocked in podium finishes to take the lead from the Bulldogs. Leading the way with the day’s lone gold medal effort was Lanfear in the 50 free, clocking in a time of 19.68 to beat the conference record by nearly two-tenths of a second. Also securing major points for BU in the 500 free were Preston and Murphy, placing second and third respectively with times of 4:27.14 and 4:27.27. Another silverbronze sweep was found in

the 200 IM courtesy of fifth year Marc Stern and Kaback who punched in times of 1:50.40 and 1:50.75.

Not to be outdone on day three, the women’s squad was led to two golds of their own by Moane. First, Moane won her first career AE individual title in the 100 breast, finishing in a time of 1:02.32 as junior Lauren Kuzma took bronze behind her with a time of 1:03.31. Moane followed this effort by leading the same quartet that took first in the 200 medley relay to gold in the 400 medley relay with a school recordsetting time of 3:43.06. The final gold medal won by the Bearcat women on the weekend came during day four, with Kuzma taking the 200 breast with a time of 2:16.25 to cap off BU’s fifthplace effort on the women’s side.

“That was our best [AE] meet on the woman’s side in years,” Cummiskey said. “To have individual titles,

to have multiple people on the podium, broke school records, we won relay titles. That’s going to be a catalyst for our women’s program.”

After a quieter day three that saw the Bearcat men hold the lead through the strength of their depth in the various events as a trio of gold medals on the final day cemented their conference title win. Snagging a second individual gold medal on the weekend was Lanfear, capturing his second straight 100 free title with a timesheet of 44.02. Then came the final two events of the weekend, with Stern and Vecchio holding things down for the home stretch with a 1-2 sweep of the 200 fly respectively clocking in at 1:47.79 and 1:47.84.

Closing things out by snagging gold in the 400 free relay were Lanfear, Murphy, senior George Kipshidze and Preston with a time of 2:57.42. With this final first-place result, the Bearcat men secured the AE

championship with a final tally of 795.50 points.

Binghamton finishes the 2023-24 swim and dive season having gone 5-1 in scored meets on the men’s side and 4-2 on the women’s side. For their efforts and success at the AE championships, Cummiskey and his staff were named the AE men’s coaching staff of the year. With improvements on both sides of the action and several core pieces returning, Cummiskey is optimistic for the future of his program.

“This was the first year that everyone on this team was brought in by our current staff and bought in and really came together to be better as a group,” Cummiskey said. “I think our goal is to really build on that kind of culture as a team. With the men winning two championships in four years. that now becomes the expectation to some extent.”

Men’s lacrosse defeats St. Bonaventure in OT

Keegan’s goal lifts Bearcats to first win of 2024 campaign.

Kyle Beame sports contributor

On Saturday, the Binghamton men’s lacrosse team hosted St. Bonaventure for its home opener, narrowly escaping with a 13-12 win in overtime. After scoring the first two goals of the game, the Bearcats gave up five unanswered goals. They were not able to recover from that deficit until late in the fourth quarter when BU managed to tie the contest, before junior attack Matthew Keegan found twine for the game-

winning score in overtime.

“It was certainly a wild one,” said Binghamton head coach Kevin McKeown. “We knew it was going to be a battle. [St. Bonaventure is] a really tough team. They play hard. It was a battle last year, and not a surprise it was another battle again this year.”

In the first five minutes, the Bearcats (1-1) put up two goals, one from graduate student defender Declan Ferris and the other from sophomore attack Colin Delay. However, soon after, St. Bonaventure (0-2) responded with a 5-0 run to take a 5-2 lead. Finally, with less than a minute to go in the first quarter, Binghamton answered,

stopping the bleeding, with a goal from junior attack Dan Garone, making the first quarter score 5-3.

“I thought we missed the cage a little bit,” McKeown said. “[We] maybe settled for some shots that [could have been] better ones.”

Opening the second quarter, the game went back and forth between the two teams. Keegan captured the first goal of the quarter for BU to make it a 5-4 game.

The rest of the period saw both teams trade goals with senior attack Liam Ferris finding the back of the net to cut the St. Bonaventure lead to 8-6 going into halftime. The weather was a factor throughout the entire game, as snowstorms

and high winds kept coming into the Vestal area. “We’re not strangers to [bad weather],” McKeown said. “I know St. Bonaventure isn’t stranger to it. I think it contributes to maybe a little bit of the sloppiness and some of the turnovers.”

Both teams continued back and forth to start the third quarter. The Bearcats scored three times in the quarter, with a St. Bonaventure goal coming in between each Binghamton score. The Bearcat goals came from Ferris, Keegan and graduate student midfielder Sonny Imburgia. However, BU’s deficit remained the same at the end of the third

period, with the Bonnies holding an 11-9 lead over the Bearcats. Going into the fourth period, BU started off strong as Garone and Keegan found twine to tie the game at 11. With three minutes left the regulation, St. Bonaventure scored, grabbing a 12-11 lead. Yet, less than a minute later, the Bearcats responded with a goal from Garone. Then, with 31 seconds left in the game, Keegan took a shot that hit the crossbar as the match went into overtime. However, the game didn’t last much longer. BU won the face-off, and Ferris got the ball to Keegan, who shot the ball and scored the game-winner as the

Bearcats completed the comeback to secure a 13-12 win.

“It was an unbelievable feeling,” Keegan said. “[I’m] super proud of the guys. We battled back [and] faced a lot of adversity that game, but it is always super exciting to scrape a tough one out like that.”

Binghamton now begins a four-game road stretch starting next against Lafayette on Saturday, Feb. 24. First face-off is scheduled for 12 p.m. at Fisher Stadium in Easton, Pennsylvania.