Spring 2023 Issue 45-46

Campus housing rates rise

29th-annual Shabbat 2000 sets new records

Chabad Binghamton surpassed their

Caroselli arts & culture contributor

The 29th-annual Shabbat 2000 was true to its name, with thousands of students gathering to participate. The celebration was held in the Events Center on campus and included food, performances, singing, dancing and much more. Shabbat is the Jewish Sabbath, or day of rest. It takes place each week starting at sunset on Friday and ending at sunset on Saturday.

Rabbi Levi Slonim, the Chabad downtown and development

director of the Rohr Chabad Center for Jewish Student Life at BU, described it as one day each week that can be put aside to not do work, and instead relax, celebrate and connect with others.

“It is a command from God to rest and to disconnect from the distractions of life,” Slonim said.

During Shabbat, the Jewish community refrains from using technology for about 25 hours and instead focuses on reconnecting with each other and their faith. Shabbat has been practiced for thousands of years and is a meaningful tradition to those of the Jewish faith.

SA fails to publicize Congress meetings, minutes

The meeting locations and minutes of the Student Association (SA) Congress have not been posted publicly in months.

According to the SA Constitution, under Article II, Section E, all meetings are required to be open for

public attendance. Additionally, in the “Congress Minutes & Legislation” section of their website, the SA states that minutes and legislation will be posted by the “third regular meeting” after the meeting they are initially from. However, meeting places have

consistently not been publicized throughout the entirety of this year, and the latter half of the fall semester’s minutes were only uploaded to the SA website last week.

Last year, the SA had its meeting location, Lecture Hall 9, listed on

the main page of its website, but this year that location is not listed — and neither is its new location, Lecture Hall 7, which Congress had switched to partially through the fall semester.

Baseball opens AE play with undefeated record

The Binghamton baseball team kicked off its conference season with a home series against America East (AE) rivals UMass Lowell over the weekend. The two sides’

last meeting took place during the 2022 AE tournament, where BU defeated the River Hawks in two straight playoff games. This included their final matchup of the year, which saw the Bearcats emerge as the victors of the AE Championship. Nevertheless, Binghamton continued its winning ways, sweeping UMass Lowell in the three-game weekend series.

“Those three-game sweeps

The SSA hosts their first-ever Punjabi Gala, BBDT featured different varieties of dance at their Dance Revolution event,

SEE PAGE 7

are rare,” said Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki. “They are not easy given the conference makeup, given the balance that the conference has and given the fact that that’s a good opponent year in and year out.” Game one began in a tight contest, as both teams put one run on the board in the first inning. The offense went silent, however, until the fifth inning when UMass Lowell (3-17, 0-3 AE) got on the

board again. BU (11-8, 3-0 AE) swiftly responded in the bottom of the frame when junior outfielder Tommy Reifler drove in a run with a double. Just two innings later in the seventh, the River Hawks put up a two-spot to take the lead for the third time. The Bearcats’ answer did not come until the following inning when sophomore second baseman Nick Roselli ripped the game-tying triple that scored two. Neither

side scored for the remainder of regulation, sending the matchup into extra innings. The contest lasted until the 11th inning, where Binghamton put the game to bed when junior catcher Kevin Reilly sealed the deal with a walkoff ground-rule double, scoring Roselli as the Bearcats earned the 5-4 victory.

Guest columnist Marc Lewis describes his experiences with microaggressions at BU, Men’s lacrosse hosts NJIT in narrow 17-16 victory, Softball sweeps Maine in two games at home,

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Spring 2023 Restaurant Week

205 Dry

A “secret” upscale restaurant that harkens back to the era of speakeasies is an idea that is hard to come by. That’s what makes 205 Dry so great, along with its high-quality, delicious food. With their $35 dinner package, the first course showed off different types of wines, buffalo cauliflower bites and shrimp and grits. The second course includes OG chicken sandwich, herb-crusted seabass and pad Thai. Last but not least, you can enjoy the delights of fried vanilla cheesecake and mango mousse. The pad thai was the most notable dish with its black chili sauce and its nutty crunch, along with the french fries with their perfect potato-to-crisp ratio.

OG chicken sandwich.

The Grove

As a major hot spot in Binghamton, The Grove offered a three-course lunch for $12 and dinner for $25. The first-course lunch options included a Caesar salad, chicken strips or garlic bread. The second course had a crispy onion burger, buffalo chicken sandwich, greek salad and primavera. Finally, the third course offered cheesecake and carrot cake. The garlic bread ended up being a highlight with its soft and buttery texture. The desserts were great too with their moist and zesty cheesecake frosting. The Grove exceeded expectations for this spring’s Restaurant Week.

Carrot cake.

Happy Pappi Arepas Bar

Happy Pappi, a brand new restaurant on Chenango Street, is a refreshing new dining experience because of its menu showcasing Venezuelan cuisine. Offering an $18 lunch menu and $25 dinner menu, their first-course highlights included Yuca fries, plantains and tequeños — a locally made Venezuelan cheese wrapped with pastry and then deep fried. Then they offered a choice of any arepa on their menu as the second item. Their dessert course gives the option of a chocolate chip cookie, a choice of beverage or a quesillo — a cheesy version of a flan. The best arepas on the menu were the happy pelua and reina pepiada. The former contained juicy shredded beef and the latter a chicken salad and avocado combo that will be guaranteed to delight.

Sweet plantains.

Little Venice

Sometimes it’s hard to find quality Italian food in Binghamton, but the solution to that problem can be found at 111 Chenango St., with its $15 lunch menu and $25 dinner menu. The appetizer courses were fan favorites with chicken parm bites and bruschetta. The ravioli with meat logs and eggplant parmesan made a big impression, especially with the amazing tasting housemade tomato sauce and the sweet and savory flavor profiles. The cannoli and brownie were the chosen desserts, and they did not disappoint. The brownie had a chocolate mousse texture that made it irresistible and cannolis filled with cream inside to die for.

Eggplant parmigiana.

Lost Dog Cafe & Lounge

One of the best dining establishments in Binghamton delivered an amazing array of unique Restaurant Week menu items that mixed Lost Dog classics with new ideas that pleased the taste buds. Offering a $15 lunch and $25 dinner with cool items like asparagus cakes, sunny dip, spring chicken cassoulet and guinness chocolate cake. The chargrilled sirloin was well-cooked and flavorful while the spring chicken cassoulet was rich, creamy and hearty. The mint chocolate chip ice cream delicately balanced the flavors well, but the best dessert ended up beating the tres leches cake.

Chargrilled sirloin.

The Shop

The Shop is a hidden gem in Binghamton that is known for its juicy, delicious burgers and creatively-made crepes. For their $25 dinner menu, they offered a variety of firstcourse options such as garlic hummus and a Shirley temple. Their second-course offerings were the double smash burger, veggie burger, feta fig walnut salad and red pepper gournay crepe. For the third course, New York-style cheesecake and iced Irish coffee were available. The crepes were a game changer, along with its red pepper eggplant whip paired with havarti and gumay cheeses, which resulted in a smokey and sweet combination.

Double smash burger.

Social on State

Social On State serves the Binghamton community as a place that emphasizes sharing meals and social interaction, and participated in Restaurant Week with their $35 dinner. Their appetizer options were nothing short of exciting and tasty. Their chicken taquitos carried a fresh lime flavor with perfectly cooked chicken. The two best entree items were the orecchiette pasta and spring risotto. The risotto’s parmesan cheese, along with the green beans mixed into it, gave it a good balance while the orecchiette had a beautiful al dente bite with a punch of acidity from the tomatoes. The desserts, which included banana bread pudding and Nutella chocolate panna cotta resulted in a delectable dessert experience.

Banana bread pudding.

Read our full restaurant week coverage at bupipedream.com

bella daidone design manager

Campus housing rates see largest increase yet

Housing rates have seen a constant rise, with the recent jump being $440.

Brandon Ng news intern

Binghamton University is planning to raise on-campus housing rates for the 2023-2024 academic year.

The proposed prices represent a 3.8 percent aggregate increase, or about $440 over the academic year. Residential Life, which aims to support learning and growth by “[providing] a small school residential experience within a premier public University,” has — in conjunction with BU administration — raised

sa from page 1

Nia Johnson, the president of the SA and a senior majoring in human development, explained that she does not believe this lack of transparency between the SA and the student body was intentional, though she agreed that there has been an overall lack of communication.

“[Neither] Congress, nor the Executive Board, goes out of their way to keep our meeting locations private,” Johnson wrote in an email. “When students approach me I gladly tell them ‘Congress is on Tuesday ([with the] specific date) at 7 p.m. in Lecture Hall 7,’ and invite them to join Congress as well. Our speaker also ends each meeting with, ‘Invite your friends and peers to Congress,’ so I do think the bottom line is that we rely too much on word of mouth.

I do believe though that we as an organization can do better with broadcasting when Congress is meeting and using our resources such as ‘SA Line’ to let students know.”

the cost to live in dormitories and on-campus apartment complexes by about 21 percent from 2015 — the oldest year with available public figures. The increase from a crosscampus average of $11,717 to $12,159 is the largest jump in recent history.

Paola Mignone, Ph.D. ‘21, the assistant vice president for residential experiences and auxiliaries, explained the annual process behind deciding the new rates.

“The process involves representatives from a committee consisting of administrative areas involved in operating the residence halls meeting with students from the residential community governments,” Mignone wrote in an email. “Factors that influence rate increases

include construction costs for annual repairs and renovations, utilities, furniture replacement, salaries and fringe [benefits] for University staff.”

Mignone further described student housing capacity as “at essentially 100 percent,” and explained that a waiting list is typically needed for returning students. She confirmed that the total cost of Universitymanaged housing is included in the cost of attendance figure, which is used to determine financial aid awards.

Eliana Sastow, a senior majoring in psychology, expressed a belief that housing access should be equitable, regardless of profits.

“Housing is an integral part of campus life,” Sastow said. “It’s a way to make friends and feel comfortable at the

University. It should be an equal right for everyone, no matter their socioeconomic status.”

According to the University’s cost of attendance estimator, both in- and out-of-state students are paying over 16 percent more than six years ago to attend BU.

In addition, students living on lower campus — College-in-the-Woods (CIW), the Dickinson Community, Mountainview College, Newing College and Hinman College — must purchase a resident meal plan from BU Dining Services (BUDS). Currently, Meal Plan C, the default option, costs $5,900 per academic year — $1,900 of which is allotted to students as dining dollars, while the remaining $4,000 goes toward “membership fees.” According to BUDS, membership fees

cover non-food costs incurred in the operation of dining halls, including labor, supplies, utilities and maintenance.

The proposed administrative changes mirror the national trend of increasing college costs.

According to a report published by the Minneapolis branch of the Federal Reserve, sticker prices at public institutions have risen more rapidly than their private counterparts since 1990. The central bank further stated that price increases were the result of rising economic inequality — leading to a “cascading series of effects,” including some lower and middle-class families opting out of higher education.

Matthias Cho, a junior majoring in business administration, discussed how rising costs on campus informed his housing decision

for the next academic year.

“When deciding where to live next year and looking at the rates between U Club [Binghamton] and Hillside, I saw that they were similarly priced,” Cho said. “I chose U Club because it is around the same price for a much better place.”

Joshua Kim, a first-year graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in accounting, described his experience in the apartments community.

“Building-wise, I think it needs a little updating,” Kim said. “I think it would be great if [Residential Life] renovated the buildings, [as] they’re a little old and a bit dirty. It would be nice to have air conditioning.”

Minutes are taken at every single meeting by a minute taker, Johnson proceeded to clarify. However, she added that the person who updates the SA website will only do it at the “discretion of the page owner.” As the SA president, it is her duty to ensure that throughout each semester the office hours of the E-Board and staff members in charge of each office is submitted to the staff member so that they can be updated on the website.

Johnson explained why the process behind posting meeting minutes may periodically fail.

“The same goes for the speaker of Congress — it is their duty to send the meeting minutes to our staff member in order for the website to be updated,” Johnson wrote. “If none of this is done, the staff member cannot update the website, seeing how it is not their top priority since they have tens of other tasks they must complete in order for the SA to support, not only the students but the company as well.”

SA meeting locations and times will begin to be sent out via SA Line as well as through the SA’s Instagram story when Congress is gathering, Johnson wrote.

Johnson described why she believes that transparency as a whole between a student body government and the student body themselves is important for the Binghamton University community.

“Transparency is key in order for there to be a strong sense of trust among students on campus,” Johnson wrote. “It is best to allow students to know the information if they can rather than keep it a secret and leave students wondering.”

As stated by the SA Constitution, Article II, Section F, not only are students allowed to attend public sessions, but they are also allowed to make public comments.

Amari Pavati, a freshman majoring in classics, Greek and Latin, explained his thoughts about the need for transparency between the

SA and BU students.

“For clubs, SA is the decision maker for funding so transparency holds them accountable,” Pavati said. “For everyone else, they’re elected officials chosen by the student body, so they have a responsibility to be transparent.”

Jo Keenan, a freshman majoring in integrative neuroscience, expressed their opinion on why the publicity of meetings can be helpful.

its governing is important,” Keenan said. “It’s important to know you are being accurately and fairly represented and that what you want is what the people who are representing you are advocating for.”

jacob gressin contributing photographer The SA Constitution states students are free to attend meetings, participate and make public comments, but the location itself, Lecture Hall 7, has not been publicly stated.

SA struggles to communicate Congress meetings

UUP calls for increased SUNY funding in rally

uup from page 1

Protestors criticized a recent proposal by Gov. Hochul to raise SUNY tuition.

Melissa Cosovic news assistant

Protestors gathered on the Binghamton University Spine on Friday to call for SUNY funding.

Organized by United University Professions (UUP) — along with the Graduate Students Employee Union (GSEU) — faculty, students and state legislators rallied from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. to demand more state funding for SUNY institutions, and to bring awareness to a proposal for a shift in funding.

Brendan McGovern, vice

president for professionals of UUP and the lead organizer for the event, said the UUP is calling for the state to provide $110 million in direct support for SUNY campuses and $55 million for the hiring full-time faculty.

“We have 19 SUNY schools operating at a deficit, we have SUNY Teaching hospitals that are teetering on insolvency due to the lack of state support, and we need additional funding for programs like [Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)] that bring the benefits of higher education to all deserving New York state residents,” McGovern wrote in an email.

“The state’s failure to fully fund SUNY threatens the future viability of New York’s public higher education system.

Speakers at the rally, which included NYS Senator

Lea Webb, Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and several BU students, were specifically protesting a recent proposal by Gov. Kathy Hochul that will increase tuition for SUNY and CUNY annually by 6 percent for the next five years — beginning next year. Attendees held signs reading “#FUNDSUNYNOW” and “OUR SUNY, OUR FUTURE,” and cheered on speakers as they presented.

Webb shared her support for more state funding, discussing the importance of affordable and accessible education, as a SUNY alum and member of UUP. Webb said SUNY has a “global impact,” and described why she feels challenging Hochul’s budget is important for the future of the SUNY system.

“And so, our respective

Men’s club ice hockey

The club team had earned a 6-3 victory against Fairfield University.

Jacob Knipes news

editor

A national college club hockey championship has come home to Binghamton University.

The BU Men’s Club Ice Hockey team was celebrated in the Couper Administration Building this past Monday, after winning the DII Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) College Hockey National Championship. The championship was earned in a 6-3 victory over Fairfield University on March 15, which capped off an undefeated tournament run for the Bearcats. During the celebration ceremony, the team brought along the championship trophy as well as a championship banner.

BU’s Club Ice Hockey team differs from peer teams as it is primarily student run and operated, according to Jack O’Bryan, a defenceman who serves as the team’s captain and is a senior majoring in mathematical sciences.

“I think that’s kind of a source of pride for us,” O’Bryan said. “Because a lot of these other teams, don’t do it the way we do it, and so then that motivates us to, you know, feel like we have something to prove to ourselves and to the rest of the league.”

The ceremony began with the team themselves being acknowledged by University officials, wherein they presented the trophy to other attendees. After a brief introduction, the team was then greeted by BU

President Harvey Stenger. Stenger proceeded to give a speech regarding the history of club sports at BU, before the team presented him with a personalized jersey.

After the event, Stenger compared the championship’s meaning among the players as akin to March Madness, the annual college basketball tournament.

“To be able to be on that ice all season long and to be on the ice at the end of the last game,” Stenger said.

“To have won that game and all the efforts that they put through to get there, it has to be an incredible feeling of accomplishment to them. So it’s one of the best days. One of the best days I’ve

White House budget proposals from both the Assembly and the Senate really reflect that, not only are we talking the talk, but we are walking it because we understand that we are trying to rectify years of underinvestment,” Webb said. “But these steps are important to take in not just in a casual fashion, but a continuous and steady and equitable fashion. And now is the time to do that.”

Lupardo, who shared she is both a SUNY alum and professor of 10 years — also a member of UUP — assured the crowd of the support they have, stating that she and other advocates have rejected the tuition increase, are pushing for a raise in income eligibility for Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and have instituted four SUNY flagships, instead of one. She went on to state that

an increase in funding would benefit all of New York state, not just the Southern Tier.

“So listen folks, you have dedicated, committed, experienced advocates,” Lupardo said. “I think we’re both serving on the Higher Education Committee and now the senior member on that committee. We’re there. We’re making sure this happens. We will do our best. We are committed to doing our best because we are not only personally invested, we understand how valuable not only to this community, but to communities across the state.”

Along with UUP representatives, BU students also made their voices heard.

Shawna Stevenson, a second-year graduate student pursuing a masters in geography at BU, spoke

on affordable and accessible education during her speech, sharing her own experience of leaving her career to pursue higher education.

“Whether you just came out of high school or you’re deciding to change your career, you should have access,” Stevenson said. “So I’m in favor of this legislation because it makes college more affordable for my community, my classmates and myself. The cost of college is more expensive now than ever before, and this legislation is a timely response to another proposed increase in costs. I think a quality affordable, equitable and accessible education system is something that we can be proud of in New York state.”

team crowned champions

had at [BU] since I’ve been here.”

The club entered the national tournament after finishing their regular season campaign with a 15-5-1 regular season record. Being slotted into the AAU National D pool for the initial tournament round, the Bearcats won out and advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament. From there, the Bearcats continued their winning ways on their path to the finals and then the national championship.

Chris Simak, a forward for the team and a senior majoring in computer science, recalled the team’s victory over the University of Tampa — who entered the matchup with a 30-

game winning steak — as the moment where a championship started to feel real.

“At one point we were up four to nothing in the third period,” Simac said. “And seeing that score on the scoreboard really was just kind of like, mind-boggling to all of us, because we knew that it was gonna be a tough opponent. They were [30-0] and they were undefeated, so we knew it was gonna be a tough game, but seeing that on the scoreboard really proved to us and that was a set in sight tell for us that we had what it takes.”

The victory had extra meaning for many of the team’s senior players, as they were freshmen in 2020 when COVID-19 shut

the tournament down, with many of those players missing their chance for a title, according to Simak and O’Bryan.

“We had so many of those former players reaching out to us and giving us support the whole way, and they were so excited after the championship,” O’Bryan said. “I think in a way they felt that it was carrying on what it started which definitely made it even sweeter for us to that we can do that for them.”

At the end of the event, O’Bryan left the trophy at the administration building, where it is planned to stay for the next couple of weeks.

Adam Bloodgood, the squad’s goaltender and

a senior majoring in computer science, also gave acknowledgment and thanks to the team’s practice squad and backups. “They still helped grow the club, and they mean just as much,” Bloodgood said. “They push us every single practice, and they’re just as important than as the guys on the roster. There’s so much interest in so many guys who don’t get enough recognition that could probably make any roster in any other school. And that’s so much talent and we’re just blessed that we have so many great hockey players coming in.”

provided by jonathan cohen

The team was received at the Couper Administration Building by Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger, who in turn received his own jersey.

OPINIONS

The Editorial Board

Recently, New York state mandated that naloxone, or Narcan, be made available in all university residence halls. At Binghamton University, naloxone kits are now available in AED life-safety equipment stations campus-wide.

Additionally, the BU Opioid Overdose Prevention Program (OOPP) has been administering Narcan trainings on campus since 2019.

We commend the University on making these resources more available to students, and we think it is an important step in destigmatizing substance abuse. We hope that the University

continues to make drug safety resources more accessible for the student body. Having fentanyl test strips, for example, also readily available in these equipment stations would be enormously helpful. While naloxone is used to prevent opioid induced overdoses, drugs more widely used among college students, such as marijuana and cocaine, can be laced with fentanyl. In fact, in 2020, fatal overdoses among adolescents increased by 94 percent, with many of these deaths attributed to fentanyl-laced prescription medications. We think having these resources more easily accessible in residence halls and on campus is a great step, and we hope to continue to see the University promote and provide these resources more readily.

Additionally, while having

Tuesday, March 28 2023

Monday,

Monday, October 2, 2017

Thursday, October 5, 2017

The opioid crisis is growing — so should our efforts to solve it

these resources readily available on campus is great, dangerous situations of drug overdoses or laced consumption are probably more likely to occur downtown than on BU’s main campus. Therefore, having resources like Narcan and fentanyl strips widely available downtown — for example, in the bathrooms of popular bars and clubs — would be an extremely useful initiative for the town to consider. It may also be useful if, for example, the University had kits readily available to fraternities and sororities or different student organizations having mixers or events downtown where drugs might be present.

In addition to having these drug safety resources widely available to BU students, it is crucial that, as an area highly impacted by the opioid epidemic,

community members in Broome County also have access to these resources, perhaps through a similar framework that BU has utilized. In 2020, Broome County reported double the opioid overdose rate of the statewide average, at 35.8 overdoses per 100,000 people. In 2022 alone, 460 people in Broome County overdosed on opioids, with 80 people dying. Amazing local organizations like Truth Pharm, the Addiction Center of Broome County (ACBC) and Southern Tier AIDS Program (STAP) offer a variety of resources like sterile syringes and fentanyl strips, in addition to harm reduction and drug safety training. However, as aforementioned, if the county could make resources more readily available in stores, bars or even at certain stations on the street, there is a greater chance

that bystanders will be able to intervene quickly and effectively when someone is experiencing a drug overdose emergency.

Unfortunately, despite the alarmingly high overdose rate and the proven effectiveness of safer consumption sites in preventing health complications and deaths that can occur from drug use, Broome County does not have any. In August of 2022, the Village of Johnson City introduced a new law to limit where overdose prevention centers, heroin safe zones, supervised consumption facilities or supervised injection sites would even be allowed to be located. The law makes it illegal for these sites to be located within 250 feet of any residential building or 500 feet of churches, schools, parks, playgrounds or arcades. They are also completely

prohibited from I-District. If safer consumption sites were to come to Johnson City, these parameters make establishing them extremely difficult.

BU’s increasing availability of Narcan kits is a monumental step forward in the destigmatization of substance abuse and has the potential to reduce harm. We hope that these resources and harm reduction training can continue to be promoted and made more widely and easily available to students, especially in more locations. Also, recognizing that Broome County, rather than just BU, is more impacted by the opioid epidemic, we hope that BU’s progress can serve as a framework or example for the county to increase access to these crucial resources by having them easily available at frequented locations.

Bias against Black Francophones must be addressed

Effort should be made to reduce ignorance about language and ethnicity

Marc Lewis Guest Columnist

While growing up in the United States, I realized that many Americans had, at best, a surface-level understanding of many ethnic groups, such as those of the Creole diaspora. Many people attempt to learn more about their neighbors, but their ignorance might inadvertently come off as offensive. We must remember that ignorance is not inherently derogatory. Ignorance is simply a lack of knowledge. However, some of our inquiries, despite their good intentions, are nevertheless laced with implicit bias. Recently, I experienced what I would call a microaggression. The Oxford Dictionary defines microaggression as “indirect, subtle or unintentional discrimination or prejudice against members of a marginalized group.” Therefore, microaggressions are typically actions or comments that often go undetected if one is not

paying attention. I was with a colleague of mine who had heard that I spoke French. She then proceeded to ask me, “Do you actually speak French, like French French, or is it like Haitian … uh Haitian French … Creole or something?” Let’s consider the following:

What is “French French?”

What is “Haitian?”

What is “Haitian French?”

People associate familiar entities naturally. For example, if you see a car seat in someone’s car, you are going to assume that person has a child. In psychology, these associations combine to inform our implicit attitudes — these are ideas someone has developed, resulting from various things they have experienced or heard, of which they are not cognizant. For a lot of people, French is, quite frankly, a white thing. Therefore, a person of color who speaks French produces a sort of psychological incongruence that prompts one to scrutinize this person’s “Frenchness,” so to speak. You can argue that this is a racist thought. Perhaps, but implicit

bias might be more appropriate in this case. Bias often functions as a source for prejudice and discrimination.

To further explore my colleague’s bias, we can consider “French French.” Are we implying that some French speakers also do not speak a French that is worthy of being considered “French French?” As for the second utterance regarding “Haitian” — many people think there is a language called “Haitian” — please note that is false. Haitian, by itself, denotes the nationality — Haitian Creole or Creole denotes the language. More importantly, why would a random Black guy who speaks French be presumed Haitian when most Black French speakers are African? Then, we can consider this term that I have heard many a time, “Haitian French.” This young woman, by asking me if I spoke “French or Haitian French,” tells me that she views these two entities as distinct, separate and that she may desire for them to be segregated. Yet, this is not very logical. You likely would not ask someone if they spoke

“Australian English or English.”

Because Australian English is still English. Likewise, Haitian French is still French. Moreover, French is a very standardized language — that is, French is practically the same around the world aside from accents. Therefore, “Haitian French” is largely not appropriate outside advanced linguistic studies. This is not an isolated incident. As a Black man who studied French at Binghamton University, I often encountered microaggressions. For example, one of my students once stated, “I saw a group of guys speaking French on campus, but it was African French.” She used “but” to imply — whether she realized it or not — that it was not quite French. It was something else, something different, something foreign. Interestingly, many people are persistent in their bias. I informed my graduate colleague that French and Creole were their own respective languages. She retorted, “But this Haitian girl I know said she spoke French.” Are we suggesting that because she said she spoke French, somehow Creole does not exist? Are we

suggesting that a Black girl is not capable of being bilingual? I am not sure what linguistically motivates individuals to bring up the so-called francophone Haitian friend when I mention Haitian Creole. Whether that individual speaks French or not does not negate their knowledge of Creole, nor does it contradict the status of Haitian Creole as a language.

Black francophones are constantly questioned and even denied their linguistic heritage. I admit that this stuff is tricky. Hence, we must recognize our own biases so that our faux pas become learning experiences.

In the past few decades, French instructional environments have become increasingly inclusive. While this initiative helps students of French learn more about the myriad of different people who have a relationship with French, it misses the general public. Institutions, be they elementary or university-level, have the power to gradually expose their students to different cultures. Particularly, instructors should be candid about their own biases and those that are likely

present among their students. As for students studying particular subjects such as linguistics, history or sociology, it is necessary for instructors to explore the intersection between language, ethnicity and race. An instructor can encourage open discussion regarding how languages are born, how they evolve and the integral role they play in the phenomenon that is culture. It is, however, primarily up to us as individuals to seek out the truth and be skeptical of the commentary we have simply taken as truth throughout our lives. People of any race can be biased and discriminate against someone of a different background. Therefore, it is up to us all to consider what we are thinking, why we are thinking it and how our interpersonal exchanges will make others feel.

–Marc Lewis, ‘21, a BU alumnus who double-majored in neuroscience and French, is a current graduate student at Drexel University College of Medicine.

Teachers should facilitate active learning Diverse teaching styles foster student success

Julia O’Reilly Opinions Columnist

“Well I got through it, so they should too.”

“They’re just not smart enough.”

“They just need to try harder.”

Introducing … the generational type of thinking that hinders progress for the sake of keeping the world of academia from changing.

Aka a professor’s bullshit excuses to weed out students from their classes and concentration with monotonous lecture-based courses.

Universities that remain stuck in their tried-andtrue methods of traditional teaching based on grit fail to acknowledge that these ways are really not true at all. Rather, lecture-based classes are only conducive to one type of student — those that can process and regurgitate information in ways that appear almost robotic. And

while it is a skill that all students dream of having, the reality is that universities must evolve and cater to every student with various teaching styles. Otherwise, these universities are merely allowing quality, capable young adults to slip through the cracks and away from their passions for a path that is “easier” and “right for them.” The National Science Foundation reported that, “On average across all the studies, a little more than one-third of students in traditional lecture classes failed — that is, they either withdrew or got Fs or Ds, which generally means they were ineligible to take more advanced courses.” The reason for this is that students learn less than half of what a lecturer says. Students learn more when presented with less information because it encourages more higher-order thinking as opposed to the memorization of overly fast lectures.

The solution to a flawed teaching method is not to fail kids because they don’t fit the

traditional learning mold. It is to change the traditional learning mold to fit the unconventional student. This can be done through assessing students in different ways or supplementing traditional tests and exams with projects, art pieces and discussions. A proven, forward-looking way to tap into students’ potential is through active learning. According to Queen’s University, “Active learning is an approach to instruction that involves actively engaging students with the course material through discussions, problem-solving, case studies, role-plays and other methods.”

It focuses on a spectrum of students’ strengths through diverse learning strategies of a collaborative nature, rather than abusing one sole teaching strategy. Queen’s University went on to compare the two teaching methods, explaining that “active learning approaches place a greater degree of responsibility on the learner than passive approaches such as lectures, but instructor guidance is still crucial in the

active learning classroom.”

Examples of active learning practices include think-pairshare — a technique in which students share their thoughts on a particular subject with a partner — and role-playing — during which students look at a topic from the perspective of a character or person. The jigsaw technique, peer teaching and game-based learning activate different methods of retaining and processing information. These teaching methods foster a culture that prioritizes the student as the architect of their own academic fate, granting them agency in their education rather than making them feel helpless, as is often the result of lecture-based courses.

Scott Freeman, a biologist from the University of Washington, Seattle, conducted 225 studies on undergraduate teaching methods for STEM courses. STEM courses are notoriously difficult, and this difficulty is responsible for many students questioning their place in the STEM field. Often struggling and failing in preliminary STEM

prerequisite classes, STEM majors often find themselves as the victims of the major weed out process. Freeman’s meta-analysis “concluded that teaching approaches that turned students into active participants rather than passive listeners reduced failure rates and boosted scores on exams by almost one-half a standard deviation.” This is because rather than passively receiving information, the activelearning process is contingent upon constant instructor and peer feedback, which forces students to acknowledge and fine-tune their shortcomings and holes in their understanding of topics rather than ignoring or overlooking them. “The change in the failure rates is whopping,” Freeman says, demonstrating the vast effect that even a portion of active learning can have in the classroom.

By tailoring the curriculum to only one learning style, professors are weeding out students who may very well be meant to be a STEM kid, an engineer or the future of

corporate America. And not only are they doing these students the injustice of diverting them from careers in which they could be successful, but they also insinuate that these students are not capable or smart. Active learning initiatives should be the future of higher education because of their ability to cultivate students’ unique ways of thinking. It pushes students to formulate opinions, analyze and interpret information and talk with their peers in ways that are formative to their own person. The hard truth is that some students may choose the wrong path on the first try, and that’s okay. But what’s not okay is for the world of academia to write them off before they’ve even had a chance to try. It’s only after truly exploring a path that an 18-year-old ingenue can have the slightest clue of where to start looking for what they want to do for the rest of their life. And they deserve that chance.

Julia O’Reilly is a sophomore majoring in biology.

Views expressed in the opinion pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staff Editorial, above. The Editorial Board is composed of the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, News Editor, Opinions Editor, Sports Editor and Arts & Culture Editor.

BU students celebrate Shabbat at Events Center

Shabbat 2000 kicked off with Rabbi Levi giving a welcoming “Shabbat Shalom” to everyone, before explaining the tradition and meaning of the event. Recognition was given to the event coordinators, as they celebrated not only reaching their goal of 2,000 people but surpassing it.

Olivia Ghodsi, a member of Chabad’s recruitment committee and a sophomore majoring in psychology, said seeing the turnout of Shabbat 2000 was a surreal feeling, being one of the people that worked hard to make sure that everyone felt welcome and was informed about the event. “Judaism is a major part of my life, so to be able to get involved in something as meaningful as Shabbat 2000 is just a really special feeling,” Ghodsi said. “I really enjoy seeing everyone that took the time to come and appreciate this tradition.”

After welcoming the Shabbat spirit, attendees were challenged to shut off their electronics and enter the zone of Shabbat. Women were asked to gather around the parameter of the stage and light candles to signify the start of Shabbat. Everyone then returned to their seats as grape juice was poured and the hand-washing ritual

commenced before the longawaited Shabbat dinner. It consisted of bread, salad, matzah ball soup — a favorite among students — and much more.

This year’s Shabbat 2000 is especially significant because it is the Year of Hakhel, or the year of unity. This puts even more emphasis than usual on bringing together students to connect and celebrate.

The Y-Studs, an all-male Jewish a Capella group, also performed for the crowd. They sang in Hebrew and empowered the audience to get up and sing and dance with them, bringing great liveliness and fun to the event.

Dance circles were formed as students joined each other to celebrate Shabbat and connect with each other like never before.

Mira Greenspan, Greek liaison of Chabad and a junior majoring in business administration, said her position is meant to be the branch between Greek life and Chabad, bringing together as many people as possible.

She described Shabbat 2000 as a way for people who are unfamiliar with Judaism to join the Jewish community for a meal and learn about their traditions and celebrations.

“I think that this is a really important aspect of Shabbat 2000, just bringing everyone together,” Greenspan said.

“When I’m home, I celebrate every Shabbat dinner weekly. For the tradition to be carried out when I’m at school as well, especially with such a large and welcoming community, is just a very special experience. You can hang out, sing songs and play games. The idea is to just spend time together.”

The tradition of Shabbat 2000 was originally started 29 years ago with the goal of unifying the Jewish

community, as well as students of all faiths and backgrounds, to come together and celebrate. Held in the Mandela Room, the event only gathered a fraction of the attendees that it now has, gradually growing throughout the years.

Michael Kalman, a key organizer behind Shabbat 2000 — also an active member in Chabad and a junior majoring in industrial and systems engineering —

spoke about the importance of taking a day to rest in the Jewish faith.

“Shabbat is the Jewish day of rest where you spend time with your family, friends and community and there’s lots of great food,” Kalman said. “We have six days during the week to do our work and to achieve things, and we have one day each week to actually take a break.”

The love and welcoming

nature of Shabbat 2000 could be felt from miles away. The event unified not only those of the Jewish faith, but people of all faiths and backgrounds, to join each other for a free, meaningful meal. It was a remarkable experience to witness so many people coming together to celebrate Shabbat — taking the time to shut out the distractions of everyday life and truly connect with one another.

BBDT hosts Ballroom Dance Revolution

University, Rutgers University and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The gymnasium of MacArthur Elementary School was filled with ballroom dancers and judges for the Binghamton Ballroom Dance Revolution. Held on March 25, the competition featured roughly 100 dancers from 10 different schools, including Binghamton

When most people think about ballroom dancing, images of regal balls and long gowns come to mind. For members of the Binghamton Ballroom Dance Team (BBDT), however, ballroom dancing is both the art of creating elegant motion with their bodies across the dance floor and a vessel for team competition. Throughout the competition, a total of 19 dances were performed across

four different styles — smooth, standard, rhythm and Latin — and they proceeded in that order. Dancers competed at the newcomer, bronze, silver, gold or open level depending on skill level and time spent dancing.

The Binghamton Ballroom Dance Revolution had an energized atmosphere that added to the competitive spirit.

Yulia Garaeva, captain of the BBDT and a junior majoring in history, compared this competition to others that she has attended.

“I think this one is a lot

more lively,” Garaeva said. “I would say it’s because a lot of the local Binghamton area is here to cheer us on. I feel like the Binghamton dance team also cheers on other teams, so that no matter what team comes up, we have a bunch of people screaming and being supportive. I think that is something that is a lot different than the higher-up competitions.”

Mark Stein, ‘22, came back to Binghamton to compete at the event. Stein is a former captain of the BBDT and has stayed involved with the team postgraduation. He discussed the unique atmosphere of the event.

“I would say it is really special because it is in Binghamton,” Stein said. “And I think it is great to see both current students as well as alumni from [BU] all come in and cheer. It is also great to see other students come in from [BU] to support the team.”

On the other side of things, this was the first competition for Jared Pisetzner, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, who is new member of the BBDT. Pisetzner spoke about the learning experience of attending his first competition.

“I need to brush my shoes off because I was slipping around a little bit,” Pisetzner said. “And besides that, I wasn’t smiling. I was told as a note that I should

smile more.”

Beyond the competitors, the event was also an excellent opportunity for students and community members to experience collegiate ballroom. Eina Baniel, a junior majoring in biology and former member of the BBDT, described the differences between competing and attending a ballroom competition.

“It is definitely a very different experience,” Baniel said. “It is a lot more fun. Well, competing is definitely fun, but it is just a different type of fun. Now I get to focus on cheering for my friends and actually experiencing and watching instead of being focused on myself and performing.”

Likewise, community members, family and friends of the competitors also showed up to the competition to support the BBDT. Wendy Carpenter, the mother of Rebecca Carpenter — a team member and a sophomore majoring in computer engineering — visited from Utica, New York for the competition. She emphazised the value of students at BU having the opportunity to learn ballroom dancing.

“I just find it amazing that this is one of the options for students to partake in,” Carpenter said. “These were not things that I had when I was in school. So I think it’s really great that students have

options like this to have extra extracurricular activities.”

Overall, the BBDT performed excellently at the event, and members of the team placed in almost every competition at all levels. Stein discussed how he feels the team has done since his graduation.

“I would say they’re doing fantastic,” Stein said. “As a former captain of the team, I am super proud of them. They have been continuing to grow even from when I graduated until now — they are just continuing to grow and do better and better.”

Going forward, the BBDT hopes to continue competing at competitions like the Binghamton Ballroom Dance Revolution, as well as make ballroom accessible for everyone. Garaeva explained how the team is committed to making ballroom an inclusive sport.

“I think ballroom can be very intimidating and very exclusive,” Garaeva said. “People think there are body types or certain aspects you need to have, especially with it being quite a Eurocentric art in the past. But honestly, it’s for everyone. We have so much diversity on our team. So if anyone wants to try ballroom, you don’t have to have any experience, just try out for the team.”

provided by lauren frye Dancers competed in smooth, standard, rhythm and Latin styles of dance.

andres rojo staff photographer

The annual celebration included food, performances, singing, dancing and much more.

The event took place at McArthur Elementary School.

shabbat

from

HPC presents play within a play in ‘Noises Off’

Dane McGrowder arts & culture contributor

This past week, the Hinman Production Company (HPC) put on a rendition of “Noises Off,” a frenetic, comical bedroom farce about a band of colorful actors performing a fictional play.

Considered “the funniest farce ever written,” “Noises Off” by Michael Frayn portrays a cast of messy, chaotic actors as they stumble through shows of an inuniverse play called “Nothing On.” While the production of “Nothing On” appears to be the initial focus of the plot, the characters as they exist outside of the play quickly take center stage.

Director Alessandra Antonacci, a junior majoring in English, described the main hallmarks of the show.

“One — strange sexual pairings,” Antonacci said. “Two — lots of doors, and three — a borderline nonsensical plot.”

Tying “Noises Off’s” plot together is its humor, which kept the show engaging and inspired Antonacci to direct it.

“When I talked about wanting to direct a comedy, ‘Noises Off’ was always on the roster of suggestions,”

Antonacci said. “I researched the show and fell in love with the comedy, but also the meta aspect of it being a play within a play.”

The meta aspect of “Noises Off” is arguably the most central element of its story, as the actors on stage continuously switch between the personas of their characters and the personas their characters perform in “Nothing On.” While the first and third acts are framed around the rehearsal and shows of “Nothing On,” the play’s comedy and characters truly shine in the second act. Recontextualizing the scene displayed during Act I, Act II is a lengthy, detailed stunt sequence in which characters bicker, drink and threaten each other’s lives mere moments before they return to the performance. Despite the second act employing less dialogue, the fast-paced slapstick comedy serves to both elevate the drama and characterize the actors beyond their roles in “Nothing On.”

“There are moments when every character is on stage and three different stunt sequences are happening at once, all of the doors are opening and closing and at least one person is getting threatened with an ax,” Antonacci said. “You have to watch it multiple times to really grasp the full scope of what’s going on.”

Luke Sullivan, a sophomore majoring in history who played Lloyd, “Nothing On’s” exacting, melodramatic director, also highlighted the interplay between the audience’s understanding of the characters in “Nothing On” and “Noises Off” as a unique part of his experience performing for the show.

“It was interesting to see the character work on

different levels,” Sullivan said. By Act III, the play has almost entirely fallen apart as the line between performance and reality dissolved, with actors actively forgetting their lines mid-scene, multiple actors appearing as the same character and props disappearing and reappearing throughout the fracas. During the March 24 show, this degradation had progressed

so far that when actor John Ferrara — a sophomore majoring in biology who played Gary Lejeune — jumped off stage to shake his father by the collar, it was difficult to discern whether or not the audience themselves had been brought into the play’s world. Likewise, building on the discord of the first and second acts, conflicts such as Lloyd’s involvement with actress Brooke and stage

manager Poppy bleed into the final showing of “Nothing On.”

In the words of Antonacci, by the final — malfunctioning — curtain of “Nothing On,” we’ve gotten “to know and love the messiest characters you can think of through their jokes, gags and relationships.”

The next play produced by the HPC, “Something Rotten,” is set to begin showing in mid-April.

Sikh Student Association hosts first-annual gala

was food, entertainment or dancing, the three-hour gala had something for everyone.

of SSA and a sophomore majoring in computer science, explained the inspiration behind the gala.

Binghamton University’s Sikh Student Association (SSA) decked out the Old Union Hall in colorful balloons, lights and a collage of pictures reflecting Sikh traditions and figures for their firstannual Punjabi Gala this past Friday. Whether it

It was evident that a lot of thought was put into the gala, right down to the minuscule details. Each table was beautifully curated with candles and rose petals as the centerpieces, and there was also a place to take photos that consisted of an orange backdrop to reflect a traditional color in Sikhism.

Manjot Kaur, president

“We really just wanted to show off Punjabi culture because it is unique and we do love celebrating it, from the dance to the fashion to the food and just the overall energy in a Punjabi celebration,” Kaur said. “I think we really wanted to bring that to campus and show off to everyone who we are.”

Initially, as individuals

began to arrive, there was mingling among the crowd and background music that kept the space lively. Eventually, attendees began to make their way toward their respective tables as the lights began to dim and the background music faded softly — indicating the start of the gala.

The gala started off with an energetic E-Board entrance from SSA, which set the tone for the rest of the night.

This entrance was

followed by several performances — girls giddha — a popular folk dance for women in the Punjab region — boys bhangra and several coed bhangra dances.

Jasmeet Kaur, events coordinator of SSA and a sophomore majoring in economics, described her experience as one of the choreographers for the coed bhangra dances.

“Bhangra has been something that has been a huge passion of mine since I was a little girl,” Kaur said. “I love doing bhangra. I’m on the BU Bhangra team and I’m so glad I get to be able to continue doing it in college. This was my first time choreographing any type of bhangra dance, so I’m glad I got the opportunity.”

All of the performances proved to be infused with high energy, and artistically showed off Punjabi culture. The combination of traditional bhangra music, the performers’ intricate hand and feet movements and their traditional South Asian attire worked to create various mesmerizing performances.

Kaur explained her favorite part of putting the gala together.

“I loved coming up with decoration ideas and [deciding] how to make our

event unique from other events,” Kaur said.

Once the performances came to a close, the dinner portion of the night started. While the dinner proved to be an overall satisfying meal that included naan, rice, palak paneer and chicken tikka masala, it was the gulab jamun — fried balls of dough soaked in a syrup consisting of rose water, saffron and other aromatic flavors — that gave the meal a full circle feeling.

After the dinner portion, there was a food-eating competition with the street food snack golgappa, which is most common in India but is known in other South Asian countries as well. This event added an interactive portion to the gala, as it had a fairly large audience involvement.

The night ended with an open dance floor that continued the energetic atmosphere felt throughout the evening and simply brought together all attendees in a fun and carefree way.

Kaur described her hopes for future SSA Punjabi Galas.

“I think in the future it will be bigger,” Kaur said. “It will be better, we will be able to put on more events once we have the budget and we will be able to do different collaborations.”

The show depicts a band of actors performing a play.

caspar carson assistant photo editor

The Hinman Production Company put on a rendition of “Noises Off,” a frenetic, comical bedroom farce.

caspar carson assistant photo editor

Students gathered on Friday night to celebrate the beauty of Punjabi culture.

The Punjabi gala featured food and entertainment.

Revati Gelda arts & culture intern

Men’s lacrosse narrowly defeats visting NJIT

Binghamton squeaks past Highlanders 1716. Adams scores six goals, Keegan adds three goals.

The Binghamton men’s lacrosse team hosted NJIT in its second America East (AE) match of the season on Saturday afternoon. After starting off hot, leading 8-1 at the end of the first period, BU slowed in the second half as NJIT slowly crawled back. With less than 30 seconds left in the game, the Bearcats led 17-16 as NJIT had possession, looking to tie the score and send the match to overtime. Binghamton, however, managed one final stop and secured the victory 17-16 — extending its win streak to three games and 2-0 in AE play.

“It’s a little bit of mixed feelings,” said Binghamton head coach Kevin McKeown. “I thought, especially having that type of lead, that it wouldn’t be that close at the end. We’ll have plenty to learn from it, but we’ll also be excited that we’re 2-0.”

Right after winning the opening faceoff, just five seconds into the match, senior faceoff Matthew DeSouza ran straight down the middle of the field and scored to put BU (6-2, 2-0 AE) up 1-0 over the Highlanders (2-6, 0-2 AE). The score marked the fastest goal recorded in Binghamton lacrosse history. The Bearcats continued to pour on the offense and put pressure on the NJIT defense as junior midfielder Ethan Insinga, along with sophomore attack Matthew Keegan, found the back of the net.

Not long after, freshman midfielder Gavin Jacobsen recorded his first collegiate goal to put Binghamton up 5-0.

With just over three minutes to go, senior midfielder Quinn O’Hara scored to cap off a 6-0 run to start the match for the Bearcats. The Highlanders eventually got on the board with under three minutes to go. However, that was the only goal for them in the quarter — while the Bearcats added two more to their tally and led 8-1 going into the second period.

“[In the first quarter], we won the faceoffs and had a lot of offensive possession,” McKeown said. “The guys are being unselfish and moving the ball well.”

The nature of the second period was more back-andforth as NJIT began to find its groove. After Binghamton opened up the period with

a goal from Insinga, NJIT responded with three straight scores to make it 9-4. The Bearcats went on to score two straight, including a behind the back goal from sophomore attack Gage Adams. Almost immediately, the Highlanders managed to score on the other end and added two more goals to their total, completing another three-goal run. Despite being outscored 7-4 in the period, BU led 12-8 going into halftime.

“We’ve been able to spread the wealth a little bit … we’ve got a lot of guys with doubledigit points,” McKeown said.

The second half started with NJIT putting one in the back of the net to cut Binghamton’s lead to just three. Similar to

the second period, both teams would go back-and-forth as the Highlanders were on the Bearcats’ tail. Binghamton then scored three consecutive goals, as it increased its lead to six. This would not last for long, as NJIT ended the period on another 3-0 scoring run to trail 15-12 heading into the final frame.

“Credit to [NJIT], I thought they really did a great job in transition,” McKeown said. “They were pushing it hard, and we didn’t get back in time on multiple occasions, and they caught us in some spots there.”

The Highlanders struck first in the final period as BU saw its lead dwindling. With nine minutes to go, NJIT cut

Binghamton’s lead to one. With the Bearcats in dire need of a goal, Keegan scored to complete his hat trick, giving Binghamton a two-goal cushion. NJIT continued to fight back as the visitors cut the Bearcat lead to just one once again, and after a Binghamton turnover, another NJIT goal tied the game at 16. The hosts, however, regained the lead courtesy of a goal from Adams. With less than a minute to go, the Bearcats managed one final stop to secure a 17-16 win.

“I’m excited that we came out with the win, especially a day like this,” Adams said. “Everyone’s pushing each other hard everyday, and it’s really important that we keep doing that in practice.”

Adams led the way on offense with six goals and one assist. In addition, Keegan had a six-point day, tallying three goals and three assists. Sophomore goalie Connor Winters also managed 17 saves in the winning effort.

“I thought [Adams] was great,” McKeown said. “I thought he did a really good job finding openings, was cutting really well. Our midfielders are doing a really good job of finding him, and he’s finishing his opportunities.”

Binghamton will head on the road to take on UMass Lowell on Saturday, April 1. First faceoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. at Cushing Field in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Women’s lacrosse takes down UNH on the road

The Binghamton women’s lacrosse team traveled to Durham, New Hampshire to take on UNH on Saturday afternoon. Despite starting off slow, the Bearcats managed to outscore the Wildcats in every period as they cruised to a

12-7 win. The victory gave the Bearcats their second America East (AE) conference win of the season along with their fifth straight win overall. This win allowed BU to extend its streak to the longest win streak in program history.

“I thought we did a good job of challenging them in the run game upfield on those turnovers caused by our defense,” said Binghamton head coach Stephanie Allen. Binghamton (7-4, 2-0 AE) kicked off the scoring

with an early bounce goal by sophomore midfielder Abigail Carroll. Not long after, the Wildcats (2-6, 1-1 AE) posted a quick response. BU then added another goal off of a passing play by junior midfielder Hayley Weltner, who sent the ball to junior midfielder Kristen Scheidel — who then found the back of the UNH net. This allowed the Bearcats to take an early 2-1 lead. Binghamton’s defense set the tone of the game early in the first quarter by clogging shooting lanes, holding the hosts to just four shots in the frame. Neither side could score for the remainder of the period, and the Bearcats headed into the second period with a 2-1 lead.

“Today our goal was to put pressure on them and force them to play more rushed than they wanted to,” Allen said. “I think our defense did a great job sticking to the game plan.”

New Hampshire knotted the score at 2-2 early in the second quarter, but Binghamton was quick with its response. The visitors added two consecutive goals courtesy of senior midfielder Isabella Meli and sophomore attack Marisa Tancredi, respectively.

Despite the hosts tacking on their third goal to cut their deficit to one, BU staged yet another run in the frame, adding three consecutive goals. Binghamton ended the half up 7-4 with a goal by sophomore attack Olivia Muscolino, and two more goals off of free attempts by Scheidel as she completed her hat trick.

“Our team is been working a lot on clock management

in the offense’s end and really taking advantage of the best opportunity, and not always the first one,” Allen said.

A quick goal by Muscolino opened the second half of the game, expanding the visitors’ advantage. However, it wasn’t long before UNH responded just 30 seconds later. Another two-goal run propelled Binghamton ahead by five, making the score 10-5. Weltner added her first score of the game during the run and the Bearcats were awarded a team goal as well. The Wildcats ended the frame with their own score as BU went into the final frame with a 10-6 lead.

Senior attack Kenna Newman opened up the scoring in the final frame for both sides, adding her first goal of the game. Despite the Wildcats responding again with one of their own, Meli iced the contest with a final goal. The Bearcat defense was able to contain the Wildcats, not allowing another goal for the rest of the match. The Wildcats found themselves too far behind at this point, going scoreless for the final three minutes of action as Binghamton secured the victory 12-7.

Meli had a four-point day, which included two goals and two assists. In addition, Scheidel managed a hat trick, with Muscolino adding two goals of her own in the decisive victory.

BU will travel back home to host Vermont for the first time this year on Saturday, April 1. First draw control is set for 12 p.m. at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

michael golann photo editor

Junior midfielder Kristen Scheidel scored a hat trick in Binghamton’s 12-7 victory over UNH on Saturday.

Johnny Yang sports intern Scheidel nets three, Muscolino, Meli both add two goals in 12-7 victory.

William Walsh sports contributor

Baseball sweeps UMass Lowell at home

baseball from page 1

“I certainly think that winning the first game in the fashion that we did helped us,” Sinicki said. “It was kind of weird because we didn’t play the very next day, so maybe you lose a little momentum … But I still think it meant a lot to our guys to win the way we did on Friday.”

Poor weather conditions caused the second game of the series to be pushed back a day,

resulting in a Sunday doubleheader to decide the series.

In the first contest of the day, BU got off to a quick start, jumping out to a 4-2 lead in the third inning. Sophomore infielder Devan Bade opened the Bearcats’ scoring with a solo homer in the second. Then in the following inning, junior outfielder Mike Gunning plated two runs with a triple. The junior continued his strong offensive performance in the

fourth, earning two more RBIs with a single to give the hosts a 6-2 lead. UMass Lowell put together a three-run rally in the ninth, but it wasn’t enough as Binghamton held strong in the 6-5 victory. “To win that second game, now our pressure goes down,” Sinicki said. “We got off to a pretty good start, we responded well after [NJIT] scored a couple runs, then from there just kinda hung on and then

built the lead later.”

In the final game of the series, the River Hawks struck first, plating two runs in the first inning. BU staged an immediate response, however, sparking a four-run rally in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. Senior outfielder Cavan Tully led off with a solo homer, and Bade capped off the frame with a two-run shot of his own. Binghamton maintained its lead for the game and added

three insurance runs in the seventh for an 8-4 advantage. UMass Lowell made an effort to get back into the game, adding one run in the ninth, but fell short as the Bearcats completed the series sweep with an 8-5 win.

“A lot of different guys chipped in, which is very important,” Sinicki said. “Even a guy like [junior catcher] Kevin Reilly on Friday … for him to get the walk-off ground-

rule double was big. Guys just had good at-bats this weekend — like [Gunning], [he] really had a good weekend … I’m most happy that a lot of guys contributed up and down the lineup over the course of the three games.”

BU returns to action on the road against Canisius on Tuesday, March 28. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at the Demske Sports Complex in Buffalo, New York.

Softball overcomes Maine twice in doubleheader

one hit.

The Binghamton softball team hosted Maine on Sunday for a doubleheader in its first series of America East (AE) play. BU was scheduled for a three-game series against the Black Bears, but poor weather conditions forced a two-game showdown. After blowing past the visitors in the first game, the Bearcats rallied from behind in the second contest to end the day with a 2-0 record that left them undefeated in AE conference play.

“We had way too many runners left on the base [in] game two,” said Binghamton head coach Jess Bump. “I think the best thing about it is the more runners we get on early, the more opportunities our lineup’s getting.”

Binghamton (13-7, 2-0 AE) began the pair of games by opening up the scoring in the bottom of the first inning in game one to take an early lead over the Black Bears (7-20, 0-2 AE). Redshirt sophomore utility Brianna Santos hit a groundout that drove in redshirt sophomore utility player Lindsey Walter. BU would score again in the first, as sophomore outfielder Sarah Rende scored off of a Maine

error. Binghamton staged four more runs to come in the third inning, when Rende drilled a triple that allowed her to score off of a Black Bear error once again. The Bearcats added three more runs in the inning as their rally poured on into the fourth. A three-run rally in the fourth inning — with Rende contributing once again with an RBI single — propelled BU to a 9-0 lead. Maine managed one run in the fifth, but the Bearcats’ early offense allowed them to run away with a 9-1 victory.

“The first game you want to just come out and play like you can, and then coming off of a win you’ve got to keep that same mindset,” Rende said. “So just keeping that consistent mindset of ‘I’m going to get in, I’m going to do my job, and whatever happens, happens.’”

The Black Bears managed just three hits in the contest. They scored their lone run in the fifth inning, moments before the Bearcats would end the game by the mercy rule, winning 9-1. Freshman pitcher Brianna Roberts pitched all five innings and finished the game with six strikeouts. Rende recorded a hit in each of her three at-bats, ultimately crossing the plate for three runs. Senior infielder Alex Musial had a standout game as well, recording hits on both of her at-bats, scoring a run and ending the game with two RBIs.

Game two was a much tighter contest, with the Bearcats and Black Bears going back and forth in a much more low-scoring affair compared to their first matchup. Both teams notched two runs in the first inning, but the Black Bears would then go on to score again in the fourth to take the lead 3-2. However, the Bearcats responded in the sixth after freshman utility Kaylin Curro scored

on a fielder’s choice to tie the score at three. In the bottom of the seventh, Rende finally broke through the stalemate, driving the ball just beyond the outstretched glove of the Maine centerfielder deep into the outfield and winning the game for the Bearcats in walkoff fashion 4-3. Weltner was awarded the win in the contest, throwing for 3.1 innings of relief, giving up zero earned runs and just

“When I pitch, I rely on my defense behind me, and I trust them,” Walter said. “So as long as I’m doing my job, I know they’re going to do their job behind me.”

The game ended with a 4-3 score, securing BU’s series win and claiming a four-game win streak heading into Cornell on Tuesday.

“We’re not going to treat Cornell any different than

conference play,” Allen said. “We’re going to use it to prepare for UMBC … really focusing in on getting those clutch hits and not making moments more than they have to be.”

Binghamton will hit the road for its next game against Cornell on Tuesday, March 28. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Niemand-Robison Field in Ithaca, New York.

andres rojo staff photographer

Sophomore infielder Devan Bade homered twice in Binghamton’s 3-0 sweep of UMass Lowell over the weekend.