Spring 2015 Issue 14

Scam Society

Mural Madness We went around the Union and bitched about the paintings

The Editorial Board weighs in on the ways that businesses exploit college students’ quest for prestige

see page 4

see page 7

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

Friday, March 13, 2015 | Vol. LXXXVII, Issue 14 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

LocallyU offers residents online, in-depth look at area businesses Website rates local companies on sustainability, community outreach and organic goods available Brendan Zarkower Staff Writer

John Babich/Pipe Dream Photographer

Shane Tracy, a junior majoring in industrial and systems engineering, and Kyle Goodwill, a junior majoring in computer science, repair a bicycle in the BU Bike Shop. This semester, the Bike Share program is opening with a total of 28 bikes for students to borrow.

Bike Share opens with fleet expansion

Beginning March 14, students can check out bicycles, helmets free of charge Alana Epstein

semester in operation.

The Bike Share opened in the fall of 2013 with only seven bikes. This The training wheels are coming semester, the program has 28 bicycles off as the Binghamton University Bike for students to borrow. The first Share opens this Saturday for its fourth seven were donated from BU Outdoor Staff Writer

Pursuits, and others were donated by the University Police Department and Stony Brook University. Six were bought from Jamis Bicycles, a national

See BIKE Page 2

Creators of a new website are seeking to make Binghamton residents more conscious of where they shop and what they buy.

LocallyU was launched last April as a database of businesses throughout New York state, reviewing how locally involved they are, how environmentally friendly they are and how available organic products are at each business.

The website was founded by Peter Gierlach, a Vestal resident who plans to attend Binghamton University’s Graduate School in the fall. Since then, he has been joined by Max Slocum, his high school friend and a junior majoring in computer science, and Joshua Temple, Slocum’s friend and a member of the class of 2014 who majored in computer science.

To be listed on the website, businesses have to fit certain criteria.

These vary based on the types of business, which range from athletics shops to breweries, but they must be locally owned and operated, have a reputation for transparency about suppliers and have a strong sustainability strategy.

“We chose these criteria because they tend to be the antithesis of the

Nicole Hassoun runs database with students to gauge need, access and effectiveness of drugs Staff Writers

A Binghamton University professor and her team of students are looking to save lives by helping find the right medicine for patients around the globe.

Nicole Hassoun, an associate professor in the philosophy department, began the Global Health Impact project approximately seven years ago with the mission to give people across the world access to drugs that fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria.

With the help of 15 students, Hassoun evaluates medications being used to treat the three diseases. The group works together to gather and study information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations aid databases.

The need for drugs is measured by rates of death and disability caused by an illness. Supply is measured by comparing the amount of people in need of medication to the amount of people who have access to it. Effectiveness reflects how successful the drug is at treating a disease.

“People are dying because they can’t access medication, so we need to know where we’re having an impact and where we need to have an impact still,” Hassoun said. “Hopefully this can help health systems planning, distribution of resources and trying to have a bigger

impact as a mechanism.”

Hassoun said that she hopes the Global Health Impact project will be a tool in guiding the distribution of medical resources and evaluating drug effectiveness and distribution.

Currently, she said, the TB Alliance and the WHO are two major companies taking advantage of the information.

“Ultimately the impact is that it affects medicine,” Hassoun said.

“Someone picks it up and makes it useful, and does something with it to have a difference.”

In the future, Hassoun said that she plans to expand the amount of diseases covered and recruit volunteers with more technological experience. She also wants to update Global Health Impact’s website and reach out to other universities to get involved.

When she initially started the project, Hassoun received $10,000 of funding from the University. But seven years later, this support has almost run out and she funds the project mainly through her personal research budget from the University. She said she hopes students will continue to work with her on a volunteer basis.

Cassie Mak, an undeclared freshman and a volunteer for the Global Health Impact project, manages the project’s social media accounts and reaches out to groups on campus to raise awareness.

“We’re trying to build campus

See DRUG Page 2

Eight seniors discuss importance of taking on risks, challenges in life Kanchi Chandwani Contributing Writer

Organizers distributed literature detailing how Holocaust survivors suffered from high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), recurring nightmares, survivor’s guilt and the stress caused by post-war relocation camps and immigration.

Students shared their personal stories about family members who survived the Holocaust, and how these illnesses changed their lives.

Tamar Rosen, a junior doublemajoring in human development and sociology and a third-generation Holocaust survivor, said it was comforting to know that others understood what she

Some of Harpur College’s soonto-be alumni shared their secrets to success with students, showing them how to make the most of their time at Binghamton University.

The panels, held on March 10 and 11, were put on by Harpur Edge, a program that aims to connect students with networking and internship opportunities to prepare them for their careers. It was organized by Wendy Neuberger, the director of Harpur Edge, and student volunteers.

Student organizers Maria Uquillas, a junior double-majoring in economics and political science, and Winnie Zhu, a senior majoring in English, said they chose the panelists from students who were on the dean’s list and held high positions in Student Association clubs and campus organizations.

Panelists Tyler Downey, Shachar Avraham, Lory Martinez, Samantha Meadows, Sarah Khan, Gina Kim, Zoe Liebmann and Alexander Liu shared participation in the University’s academic departments and extracurricular activities over a twoday series of panels.

“We picked students from a wide field, and didn’t focus on just one, as shown with one of our panelists being a part of the radio and another a research assistant,” Zhu said. “We want to show Harpur students that any career is possible as long you’re passionate and willing to work hard to be successful.”

Martinez is the news director at WHRW 90.5 FM and the president of the Binghamton Media Group, as well as a senior double-majoring in French and English. She said the key to her success was majoring in something she loves, and encouraged students to explore different fields even if they are outside their comfort zone.

“I applied to a graduate school in France before on a whim, and somehow I got it,” Martinez said. “And now I’m going to France next fall, and I’m excited and I welcome this new adventure that I will be going on.”

Avraham, a senior majoring in integrated media communications,

See FAMILY Page 2

See HARPUR Page 2

Tycho McManus/Pipe Dream Staff Photographer

Pictured: The State Street parking garage. The city has been planning its renovation, along with the Collier and Water streets lots, despite lack of available spaces.

City of Binghamton gets $1.4 million to upgrade, repair Downtown garages State Street, Collier Street and Water Street garages to see structural reinforcement, drainage system repairs Alexandra Mackof and Tania Rahman

upcoming year.

In his State of the City address in February, Binghamton Mayor Richard Staff Writers David announced plans to renovate and restore garages on State Street, Water The city of Binghamton is looking to Street and Collier Street, which have fallen spend $1.4 million to revamp Downtown Binghamton parking garages in the See GARAGE Page 2

Third-generation Holocaust survivors talk emotional aftermath Hillel, students examine post-traumatic stress disorder, years of recovery David Zeiger

Contrbuting Writer

Kevin Sussy/Contributing Photographer

Tamar Rosen, a junior majoring in human development, speaks to a group of students about the psychological effects and trauma of the Holocaust on survivors and second- and thirdgeneration survivors.

Decades later, third-generation survivors examined the psychological effects that the Holocaust had on their families.

The event was hosted by the Hillel subgroup 3G, which is a student group of third-generation Holocaust survivors.

Over a dozen students discussed their families’ experiences with the trauma, discrimination and genocide of the Nazi regime in World War II. Karly Weinreb, the president of 3G and a senior double-majoring in psychology and Judaic studies, said that

See RANKS Page 2

Soon-to-be graduates talk keys to success

To fight deadly diseases, professor analyzes treatment around the globe Pelle Waldron and James Lee

practices of big, multinational chains,” Gierlach said. “We want to make it easy for people to support others who are trying to do the right thing.”

According to Gierlach, the project began simply as an idea to research the origins of products people use in their daily lives.

“I thought that if we made it easier for people to buy from better businesses, it may force change in the economy and encourage businesses to use better, more community-based business practices,” Gierlach said.

LocallyU began by tracking businesses in many major upstate New York cities, as well as Manhattan, and Gierlach said he hopes to finish that work by the end of the summer. Although his company is still in its infancy and, typically, most comprehensive in the Binghamton area, Gierlach said he is looking to expand into other cities and states throughout the country.

The group began a campaign on the crowdsourcing website GoFundMe in July 2014 that raised $790 in start-up capital to invest into LocallyU, which is currently its only source of revenue.

“Right now we are functioning on an entirely volunteer basis, and are always open to people helping us,” Gierlach

the Holocaust caused emotional damage that transcends generations and goes unnoticed.

“Trauma that is passed down is not really studied or talked about, and it is a very subtle subject that can be so prevalent in somebody's life,” Weinreb said.

David Oestreicher, the co-vice chair of 3G and a junior double-majoring in history and psychology, said that regardless of the sensitive nature of the subject, discussion was key to raise awareness and cope.

“This particular event is something that many grandchildren of survivors are interested in talking about,” Oestreicher said. “It’s not something we talk about with our families, like the trauma of our parents and grandparents.”

2

NEWS

bupipedream.com | March 13, 2015

Global Health Impact takes aim at HIV, TB and Malaria DRUG continued from Page 1 interest,” Mak said. “We really want to reach out to different health groups, different fraternities, the CDCI, so that they know what we’re doing, so that other students can work with our organization.”

In April, Global Health Impact will be hosting a conference to raise awareness about the cause. Speakers and workshops will help illustrate the future of the organization and ways that

students can get involved.

Alex Yung, a freshman majoring in business and a member of Hassoun’s team, became interested in the project last semester. He said that the group needs more members to be able to increase efficiency.

“It’s definitely difficult — we’re kind of lacking on man power,” Yung said. “But we’ve made a lot of progress. If you’ve seen our database, our websites, it’s definitely getting a lot better.”

At Student Success Panel, a glance at Harpur's best HARPUR continued from Page 1

Photo Prodvided Pictured: A screenshot of LocallyU.com.

LocallyU evaluates, ranks businesses throughout NYS RANKS continued from Page 1 said. “To be a nationwide service we would need to make money — that’s no secret. But we are more concerned with the community impact we make rather than the bottom line.”

Louis Meringolo, a senior majoring in management, said LocallyU has shown him what kind of businesses Binghamton has to offer outside of Wal-Mart and Target.

“The site helps me stay in touch with the community,” Meringolo said. “There are so many unique businesses in the

area.”

The Vestal Farmers’ Market is currently the highestranked business in the greater Binghamton area. This high ranking was obtained largely by its participation in activities that benefit the community and also because it sells only locally grown produce.

Reactions from other local businesses have been positive, according to Johan Bergfjord, owner of Down to Earth Whole Foods, which also has a high rating on LocallyU. “There’s a consciousness growing among discerning

customers in the area,” Bergfjord said. “I really believe there is a market for these types of products.”

Though the site is working to expand advertising, students have already expressed interest in using LocallyU to support the community.

“I think it’s an incredible idea,” said Morgan Wickstrom, a senior majoring in environmental studies. “It’s so important that we source things we use locally, especially in a city like Binghamton that is growing. We really owe it to the city to help it improve.”

We want to make it easy for people to support others

said he had benefited from the individualized major program, which allowed him to take all the classes that he wanted.

“My freshman year I met with my Harpur adviser and she told me about the individualized major program, and I immediately jumped on that opportunity,” Avraham said. “Through that I was able to take advantage of education here and I got to choose my own classes, which has helped me, so I can now graduate a semester earlier than next spring.”

Emily Mahoney, a junior majoring in theater, came to the

panel to see Downey, an actor and a senior double-majoring in theater and English, and to learn about furthering her acting career.

“I came here to support my friend,” Mahoney said. “And now I’m leaving inspired by the students on the panel to go out and find opportunities or create my own so that I can be a successful actress someday.”

Above all, Martinez said students should have fun.

“You should all explore, mess up,” Martinez said. “Use the years after graduation to follow your dreams and do whatever you can to build experiences that you can later tell stories to people about.”

— Peter Gierlach LocallyU Founder

City to spend $1.4M on Downtown parking garage renovations GARAGE continued from Page 1 into disrepair. In 2006, a four-ton slab of concrete collapsed from Water Street’s garage, although the damage was eventually fixed.

Deputy Mayor Jared Kraham said that although no incidents of that magnitude have occurred since, the garages are crumbling and have poor floor drainage.

“These restorations are for structural integrity, safety and general repair purposes,” Kraham said. “They play critical roles in not only economic development, but also visitors’ first impressions when coming to Downtown Binghamton.”

The project will take at least until the end of the year, but according to Kraham, the garages will still be fully operational during the renovation process.

The concrete will be patched, the external steel beams will be reinforced, the drains and curbs will be repaired and all the

structures will be waterproofed.

The renovations will be funded through Binghamton’s capital bonding fund and parking fund. The capital bonding fund is a program that allows the city to borrow money from the state for restructuring and remodeling projects that it can repay over a span of 15 to 30 years.

Responses to the investment were mixed. Some said that the renovations are necessary and others argued that the money could be put to better use.

“I don’t think renovating the parking garages would really convince anyone to spend more time Downtown,” said Jessica Yee, a senior majoring in biology. “It seems like a waste of money.”

Students who drive Downtown for classes face added stress getting to class on time when parking is sparse, said Alexandra Moehring, a junior double-majoring in English and human development.

“I have class in the Downtown

Center, and I prefer to drive,” Moehring said. “The buses aren’t always reliable, but parking is the worst. If parking was easier and more accessible, I’d go Downtown more often. I want to stay and grab dinner after class but my meter spot is usually up or I’m parked somewhere illegally.”

Binghamton Hots owner David Whalen also said that better parking options could improve local business.

“I think the repairs are long overdue,” Whalen said. “I think people are hesitant to visit the Downtown area at times because they fear parking issues.”

Bruce Potter, the owner of Courtyard Gifts located Downtown, said that garage improvements were necessary, but that City Hall should make a variety of nonstructural additions, including more lighting and retail options.

“As a person gets older they become more leery of using

these parking garages because of the conditions,” Potter said.

“Binghamton is not doing it the right way. The mayor needs to travel to other cities and see how these other areas are surviving.”

Although plans are not finalized, Kraham said that in the future, the city wants to further expand parking options at Collier Street and add space for stores and businesses to the complex.

“It could transform the nature of Downtown Binghamton,” Kraham said.

James Trojano, a head server at sake-tumi on Court Street, said he thinks the increased parking options will improve the appearance and atmosphere of Downtown.

“Once the garages do get repaired, we know for a fact that our businesses will be affected,” Trojano said. “If they do make them look better and expand them, it will make everything better as a whole.”

Decades later, students share family Holocaust stories FAMILY continued from Page 1 was going through.

“A lot of times, when you are a 3G, you feel like you cannot talk to anyone about it,” Rosen said. “That one thing your grandparent does, that really bothers you or that really upsets you, or that one thing that you do that no one else seems to be doing makes you feel very alone and isolated.”

Oestreicher said he had organized the meeting to

facilitate discussion and sharing of personal experiences.

Yael David, a junior majoring in Judaic studies, said the event was welcoming for students with all different family backgrounds.

“I feel like it was a very safe group and even though I’m not a third-generation Holocaust survivor myself, I felt like with my own experiences I was able to connect with some of the same sentiments,” David said.

“It was just a very empowering experience.”

Rosen said that though it is often hard for descendants of Holocaust survivors to share their unique experiences, discussions such as these are beneficial.

“Though in this situation, with these people in this context, people open up and start to realize what it is that has happened in their life,” Rosen said. “They can see their grandparents in a new light, themselves in a new light and the Holocaust in a new light.”

A lot of times . . . you feel like you cannot talk to anyone about it — Tamar Rosen BU Junior

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Neil Seejoor/Contributing Photographer

Alexander Liu, SA president and a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, speaks to a panel hosted by Harpur Edge, a program that aims to connect students with networking and internship opportunities to prepare them for their careers.

With big plans for future, BU Bike Share shifts to high gear for spring BIKE continued from Page 1 company, using the Bike Share’s budget from Campus Life.

According to Shane Tracy, the president of BU Bike Share and a junior majoring in industrial and systems engineering, many of the bikes donated were in unusable condition with rust or missing parts, but they were repaired by the BU Bike Shop.

Opened by members of Bike Share last semester, the BU Bike Shop offers free repair services to students, faculty and staff members for their personal bikes and the 28 public bikes.

“Throughout the year, we have to keep a close eye on the bikes to make sure no other issues arise,” Tracy wrote in an email. “Once they do we bring them back into the shop ASAP to fix them and get the bikes back into circulation. When we were opened for the season, if the bikes weren’t in the shop being worked on, they were being used.”

With the increased availability of bikes, usage jumped from 246 hours in the spring 2014 semester to 980 hours in the fall 2014 semester.

Students can borrow bikes by going to the information desk in the Tillman Lobby and signing out a lock key from the attendant. Bikes are distributed in four-hour time blocks, and students can borrow a helmet as well.

But according to Tracy, the Bike Share team and a group of senior engineering majors are working to create a “swipe and go” system so that students could swipe their BU ID card to electronically unlock a bike in the coming semesters.

Bike Share Vice President Markus Sher, a junior doublemajoring in mechanical engineering and English, said that the final product should resemble a free version of the Citi

Bike system in New York City.

“We’re looking to make something with a central kiosk, and then bike stands going off in a few different directions surrounding the kiosk,” Sher said.

“It’ll be completely automated and people can use it whenever they happen to walk up to it. They can pick bikes up at one location and drop them off at another, which is much more useful and convenient than our current manual process with only one location.”

Aviv Kleinman, a Bike Share user and senior majoring in urban planning, said the kiosk would make borrowing bikes easier.

“I know signing it out by hand gets messy, so the swipe and go system would be really great,” Kleinman said. “I believe that the bike share should expand in any way that seems possible as long as they get the funding they need. Bicycles are a great way to get places in a comfortable safe efficient way, and I think bike share is wonderful.”

Currently, the Bike Share’s only station is located outside of the Engineering Building. The bikes can be taken anywhere on and off campus except the Nature Preserve, where no bikes are allowed.

Bike Share is officially run by students under the BU transportation department and, according to Bike Share Treasurer Hallie Friedman, a junior majoring in industrial and systems engineering, bike routes that students can take from Downtown to campus are available on Bike Share’s website.

“Ever since we’ve started the bike share, we’ve seen more bikes on campus,” Friedman said. “Bike Share provides students with a free alternative transportation option so they don’t have to wait for a bus or spend money on gas.”

PAGE III Friday, March 13, 2015

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

Pipe Line STATE NEWS

Notes from the Undergrounds

MAnAging editor* Tycho A. McManus manager@bupipedream.com neWs editor* Nicolás Vega news@bupipedream.com Asst. neWs editors Joseph E. Hawthorne Carla Sinclair Alexandra Mackof oPinion editor* Molly McGrath opinion@bupipedream.com releAse editor* Jacob Shamsian release@bupipedream.com

NATIONAL NEWS

2 officers shot in ‘ambush’ outside Ferguson PD Two officers were shot in front of the Ferguson Police Department early Thursday while demonstrators were gathered across the street — an attack the county police chief described as “an ambush” that could easily have killed both men. The shots were fired just as a small crowd of protesters began to break up after holding a demonstration in the wake of the resignation of the Ferguson police chief, who stepped down Wednesday. St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar said one officer was shot in the face, just below his right eye, with the bullet lodging behind his ear. The other officer was hit in the shoulder, and the bullet came out his back. Both men were expected to recover without suffering any long-term damage, Belmar said, but the wounds might have been mortal. The 32-year-old officer who was shot in the face was from nearby Webster Groves. The second officer, 41, came from the St. Louis County force. By late morning, both men had been released from the hospital, according to St. Louis County police spokesman Brian Schellman. Authorities believe the shots came from a handgun fired about 120 yards away. Police said officers converged late Thursday morning on a home in Ferguson and took people in for questioning. No arrests were immediately made. Based on where the officers were standing and the trajectory of the bullets, the shots appeared to be directed at the police, Belmar said

This Day in History March 13, 1781 William Herschel discovers Uranus

Spring 2015 editor-in-ChieF* Rachel Bluth editor@bupipedream.com

Transgender civil rights bill gets renewed push in NY Legislation that would protect transgender New Yorkers from discrimination in housing, employment and education is getting a renewed push. Events planned in New York, Albany and Rochester on Thursday are intended to encourage state lawmakers to enact the measure, which has passed the state Assembly repeatedly but faces obstacles in the Senate. The bill would include gender identity and expression in the state’s civil rights law, making it illegal to discriminate against a transgender person when it comes to jobs, loans, schools and public accommodations. The state already prohibits discrimination based on race, religion, disability and gender. Thursday’s events will feature local elected leaders who support the measure. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced his support last year.

Raising legal age for tobacco would stop, delay use Raising the legal age to buy tobacco to higher than 18 would likely prevent premature death for hundreds of thousands of people, according to a report issued Thursday by the Institute of Medicine.

The report examines the public health effects of increasing the age to 19, 21 or 25. While it doesn’t make any recommendations, officials say, it provides the scientific guidance state and local governments need to evaluate policies aimed at reducing tobacco use by young people. It also adds backing to government efforts to reduce the death and disease caused by tobacco on the heels of the 50th anniversary of the landmark 1964 surgeon general’s report that launched the anti-smoking movement. Most states currently have set the age at 18, which is the federal minimum. Four states have set the age at 19 and several localities, including New York City, have raised the minimum age to 21. Increasing the federal age would take an act of Congress, which mandated the report in a 2009 law that gave the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate tobacco. The report concluded that if it were to be raised to 21 now, it would result in about 249,000 fewer premature deaths, 45,000 fewer deaths from lung cancer and 4.2 million fewer years of life lost for people born between 2000 and 2019 when they reach their 40s and 50s.

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Sabrina Scull, a senior majoring in environmental science, sings and plays the ukelele in the Roots Cafe in the Undergrounds. The Food Co-Op hosted its first open mic event, which featured poetry, stories, stand-up comedy and a jazz ensemble that turned into a drum circle dance party.

Corrections

Police Watch

Pipe Dream strives for accuracy in all we publish.

We recognize that mistakes will sometimes occur, but we treat errors very seriously.

If you see a mistake in the paper, please contact Editor-in-Chief Rachel Bluth at editor@bupipedream.com.

A lighter take on campus crime

Yak of the Week

Aaron Berkowitz | Police Correspondent

SodexOH NO! WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 9:37 a.m. — Officers became aware of a warrant out for a 39-yearold male Sodexo worker, said Investigator Patrick Reilly of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. The suspect did not appear for a court date for a prior DWI arrest, so a warrant was put out for his arrest. The officers waited for the suspect and when he arrived at work, they detained him and brought him to the station until he was picked up by Broome County sheriffs.

Found their Booty WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 8:48 p.m. — Officers responded to Bingham Hall in Newing College after resident assistants conducted a health and safety check on a room, Reilly said.

The check was conducted because the RA staff had reason to believe that the residents of the room had stolen seat cushions from the fourth floor lounge of the building. Inside the room, the officers found the cushions as well as a napkin dispenser from a dining hall, a bong and a container of marijuana. The residents, both 18-year-old males, were later referred to the Office of Student Conduct by the RAs. Knock Knock. No one’s there.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 11:45 p.m. — Officers responded to O’Connor Hall in Dickinson Community due to reports of marijuana use, Reilly said. RA staff smelled the odor of marijuana coming from a room in the hall. The officers confirmed the smell and knocked on the door. They heard a male voice but no one answered the door. They knocked on the door again and still no one answered.

The RA staff reprimanded the residents the following day.

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Arts & Entertainment

The Binghamton Mural Review: Part 1 Franz Lino/Photo Editor

We're judging all of the murals on campus—how will your favorite painting stack up?

Jacob Shamsian | Release Editor Odeya Pinkus | Assistant Release Editor This is the first in a series of articles critiquing the murals at Binghamton University.

One of the traditions of campus art is painting murals: for a student group, for a cause or just for decoration. And, as pieces of art, each mural deserves to be criticized.

Here are our thoughts on some of the paintings in the University Union.

The Undergrounds Café Outside of the Undergrounds Coffeehouse, there is a mural that pays tribute to the three C’s: color, coffee and confusion. In what

looks like the ’90s vomited every watercolor palette it shouldn’t have swallowed, a mishmash of silhouettes are worshipping a cup of coffee at a rock concert. Really. It’s as if the artist was desperately trying to be hip in 2006 and failed at even that, making the mural seem even more dated. It’s a pathetic attempt to capture a concert scene that might happen on TeenNick, but not in real life, and definitely not in the Undergrounds. The band members are strewn across the painting in different artistic styles.

The bottom of the mural is a bizarre tribute to X-Box, with a green controller on the right and guitar hero on the left, twice. The entire thing is off balance, as if the artist started a pattern and then

forgot to finish it. And the cymbals!

Are they supposed to be cymbals?

There’s just a pile of them facing in random directions in the center of the painting. It makes no sense.

“From Breadth Through Depth to Perspective” Since painting this mural in 2011, former BU student Kady Perry has done a lot for Binghamton’s artistic community, working in several excellent art education programs and other efforts to beautify Binghamton. One of her first big hits was the mural in the New Union basement, with the University’s slogan on it. It’s great to bring color down here, but upon closer inspection, it’s had a good run. It’s now time for a new coat.

If you were wondering what part

of campus you can find depicted here, then good question, because we were wondering too. We see a bad dream version of the Nature Preserve, where the sky is white and the clouds are blue. Additionally, if the dining halls ever ran out of cookies, not to fear. Legend has it that the Keebler elves live in the bottom left corner. Go look for it. At the right, there are signs directing the viewer to different offices in the basement — even BTV, which isn’t a real organization — but not the Pipe Dream office.

And yet somehow there’s enough room for a muffin and an empty cup sitting on it. The environment is also unsettling. What are these mountains? The Himalayas? The benches are surrounded by weeds

and bees. But, like we said, Kady Perry is now doing great things — this was just her jumping off point.

Food Co-Op There’s a nice mural of New York state and the Nature Preserve lake at the back of the Food CoOp, but the real beauties are the tables. Each one has its own beautiful color palette — some bold, some subtle and dreamy.

They all use, of course, nature themes: plants, water, celestial figures. Most murals are forced into a rectangular shape, but the tables take advantage of the circular frame, being somewhat symmetrical and pattern-based.

There’s one of an elephant and a giraffe on a rectangular table that isn’t very good, though.

From poet to published

Rainbow Pride Union RPU’s mural, at first glance, seems completely chaotic, an assault on the senses. But upon closer inspection, it’s one of the most beautiful in the Union.

Though it’s on a wall, it doesn’t restrict itself to a square shape, instead using jagged edges and a careful blend of bold colors. The remaining portions of the wall are devoted to a blackboard for practical use. The mural itself depicts several colorful gender-ambiguous figures helping each other out of water — it’s so much more subtle than an obvious painting of harmony between people of different sexual orientations. We’re not sure what’s up with the orb, though, but we hope to find out one day.

Raquel Panitz/Pipe Dream Photographer

BU alum Matthew Siegel and his slam roots Anna Szilagyi | Staff Writer The word “poet” no longer brings to mind only stuffy, pretentious writers. Slam poetry, poetry performed in a competition called a “slam,” is an art form sweeping college campuses all over the country. The high-energy performances seem to be the complete opposite of the rigid, structured poems taught in English classes.

As a member of Binghamton University’s Slam Poetry Club and our competitive slam poetry team, I knew that our not-quitetwo-year-old club was actually the second slam poetry presence in the University’s history. I was surprised to find out, though, that the founder of the original BU slam team would be one of the first features in the Binghamton Center for Writers 2015 Readers’ Series.

Alumnus, poet and teacher Matthew Siegel, a member of the class of 2006, founded the original Binghamton slam team during his time as an undergraduate student. Professor Thomas Glave introduced Siegel to the slam scene at SUNY Oneonta, and one of their poets urged Siegel to assemble a Binghamton team for a SUNY slam.

“I didn’t have an easy time at first,” Siegel wrote in an email. “I could only find two people to do

In college, though, Siegel found that writing about painful experiences was important in gaining the ability to write his own story

it, and it was just a ragtag kind of thing.”

But after that first collegiate slam, the Binghamton poets realized they found something special in the slam poetry scene.

“We would have parties where people would be playing music, reciting poetry, rapping, it was all totally electric,” Siegel wrote.

Our current slam team recently attended the Wade-Lewis Poetry Slam Invitational at SUNY New Paltz. We were joined by the hosting team, SUNY Oneonta, Vassar and New Paltz’s Urban Lyrics, a rap and spoken word group. We found the same electric community Siegel describes at Wade-Lewis, supporting each other with snaps during the competition and trading poems afterward.

“For the most part, it’s one of the warmest communities you could imagine,” wrote Dan Roman, a senior majoring in English and a member of the team. “One of the first things that happens when a slam is over is that all the poets immediately go up to one another and start talking about how much they enjoyed each other’s work.

That’s not a rule, it’s just something that happens organically.”

Though Siegel’s experience with slam poetry was limited to his college years, he learned some valuable lessons.

“It definitely did teach me a lot about being part of an artistic community, and the kind of behavior that helps build that, as well as the kind that causes it to unravel,” Siegel wrote.

Siegel took professor Maria Gillan’s upper-level poetry workshop during his time at BU, which is typically reserved for graduate students.

“He took my class about eight times,” Gillan wrote in an email.

“He was amazing because he was so eager to learn. He loves poetry as much as I do.”

After completing his undergraduate degree, Siegel

attended graduate school in Houston. Despite his plans to move to New York, he received a Wallace Stegner Fellowship at Stanford University in San Francisco and couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

“I never had any plans to come out here, but I always knew I’d write forever and that teaching was the only profession I could love, other than full-time writing,” Siegel wrote.

Siegel returned to his roots when he read his work at BU in February at the first night of the Binghamton Center for Writers 2015 Readers’ Series. He read primarily from his new book, “Blood Work,” which won this year’s Felix Pollak Prize in Poetry and was published just a few days ago by University of Wisconsin Press. He told the audience that many of the poems in “Blood Work” were born from his experience living with Crohn’s disease.

“I became ill as a teenager, and though I was writing for a few years already, it wasn’t a huge subject for me,” Siegel wrote.

In college, though, Siegel found that writing about painful experiences was important in gaining the ability to write his own story.

“Language gives us the power to claim our stories and in turn, our lives,” Siegel wrote.

Creative writing students are familiar with the struggle between passion for the craft and consistent reminders that writing isn’t always a reliable career path. Siegel was persistent in pursuing his art despite the potential risks, though.

He currently teaches literature and writing at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and his poems have been published in numerous literary journals. Still, he believes passionate artists will make it work regardless of their initial career choices.

“I do believe art will always be important if you’re an artist,” Siegel wrote. “When you love it, art wants to get made.”

How to walk the lonely road

You don't need to say hello to your orientation roommate Evy Pitt-Stoller | Staff Writer Does the winter wind keep your skin dry? Do the gray skies keep you antisocial and tired through half your day? Then you are definitely, totally, not in the mood for that excited, once-ina-while friend who will change her route to walk with you to class and corner you into … getting lunch. Sometimes, the Binghamton breeze is simply too frigid to sustain friendly conversation.

Sometimes, you wake up on the wrong side of the bed. And sometimes, some people are really, really annoying. Here are some methods for keeping that walk from Lecture Hall to Science IV reserved as “you time.” Just don’t ask me how to get out of talking to someone you bump into on the bus — that’s Binghamton-speak for totally fucked.

The recent 40-degree weather basically has us tanning in bikinis and boxers on the Newing field, but it’s still not too late to wear a light scarf. Scarves are a great way to render you

either unrecognizable or, at the very least, keep passersby from making eye contact, which locks you into a forced hello. Wrap that scarf around your neck as many times as it takes to get it right below your nose and flip your hood up so that it’s casting a shadow over your brow, Batman style. Now, when you walk to class, you’ll be so bundled that you’ll basically be as hidden as the man behind Baxter, except you’ll be doing the opposite of giving away free hugs and highfives. If someone recognizes you beneath your pile of winter gear, you either have a stalker on your hands, or it’s probably someone you should be saying hello to anyway.

Another great way to stay alone ironically involves something social — social media, anyway. There are countless ways to avoid people as long as you have a smartphone, and you don’t even need an app to do it.

Just pretend to be on the phone, listening to music, texting or browsing the Internet. Never be forced to exchange an awkward smile with an acquaintance or an awkward hookup again.

Downcast eyes, cold heart, can’t lose.

If the last two tips still leave you feeling approachable, it might be time to consider going underground. This is the holy grail of isolation, people. Where’s the place you most often mutter, “Oh, God, did he see me?” The frickin’ Marketplace! You may think the only way to get from the center of campus to the dorms is through the Martketplace and the Tillman Lobby. Well, think again. There is a secret hallway that connects the New and Old Unions in the basement of the building; it was utilized in the ancient times, when the members of the class of 2015 were but freshmen and masses from all over campus crowded the Susquehanna Room for chicken salad with complementary chips and pickles. Find your way to the legendary Pipe Dream office, make a right and then make a left past the lovely mural of our school’s motto painted onto a tree and the mailroom. From there, young grasshoppers, you are on your own. You think I’d fully reveal my secret and risk having to say hello to you?

March 13, 2015 | www.bupipedream.com

5

RELEASE

WHRW to host 24-hour memorial radio marathon

Activities to include live music, on-air games Joseph Barberio | Contributing Writer This weekend, you don’t have to head Downtown for an all-night party full of great music, fun and games. All of the above will be available on the airwaves during WHRW 90.5 FM’s 14th annual Paul J. Battaglia Marathon.

The marathon started 14 years ago as a way to honor the memory of the former station general manager from 1998-2000, Paul J. Battaglia. Battaglia was killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. In the aftermath of his death, WHRW renamed its studios for him and a scholarship fund was set up in his memory.

According to Daniel Kadyrov, WHRW’s current general manager and a senior majoring in

mechanical engineering, Battaglia is remembered as an important and beloved member of the station.

“We play his previous shows on air, and they’re very ridiculous,” Kadyrov said. “He was a very funny character.”

The first marathon to honor Battaglia was held in April 2002 as a way to raise money for the scholarship fund set up in his name. The inaugural marathon was a success: The station raised over $1,300. Soon, it became an annual event. Last year’s marathon raised over $5,000 toward the scholarship fund.

This year’s edition of the marathon hopes to keep up with the tradition by running for a full 24 hours and including various WHRW-themed activities. There

will be on-air games including “Musical Jeopardy” and “Where’s the Drop?” where you have to accurately predict where that sick beat will drop. Additional activities will include a “24Hour Playwright,” where station members attempt to come up with a short play to be performed on-air at the end of the marathon, and a comedy roast of Kadyrov at 10 p.m.

According to Isabella Castiglioni, the public relations director and a sophomore majoring in geography, you can also expect several special performances.

“We’ll have people come in live and play on the radio,” Castiglioni said. “We’ll have an acoustic set and some DJ’s.” and to spend 24 hours with WHRW Ultimately, for Kadyrov, the station members.” goal of the entire marathon is The marathon starts on Friday, simple: “To have fun, raise money March 13 at 1 p.m. and lasts until

File Photo

Saturday, March 14 at 1 p.m. It can be accessed live via web stream on whrwfm.org/listenlive or on the radio on 90.5 FM. Listeners are

encouraged to call in to the station at (607) 777-2137 to participate and to donate to the Paul J. Battaglia Scholarship fund.

2 or 3 episodes? Psh. Have a real binge-watching session Forget ye rosebuds, gather ye Netflix all day and all night, until your vision is gone forever Austin O’Donnell | Contributing Writer A study performed by Netflix in February 2014 determined that a large majority of bingewatchers define binge-watching as watching two to three episodes of the same TV show in one sitting. However, us true bingewatchers know that two to three episodes in one sitting is the work of amateurs. If you are a serious binge-watcher, you crank out a good season or two at once. If you’ve ever partaken in the act of binge-watching, you’ll know that there is prep work involved in order to make your viewing experience as enjoyable and as lazy as possible. Here are a few

tips to augment your binging experience: For the beginners: Red Bull (or anything with caffeine) — This shit will keep you up and attentive so that you can make it through a season (or more).

Cheddar Chex Mix — There’s no reason that your snacks have to include Cheddar Chex Mix, but it’s a personal favorite — better than crack.

Candy — Really, any type of candy is great for binge-watching — anything to fix your sugar cravings as you make it through each episode.

Tissues — Self-explanatory.

You can cry into them when you’re sobbing tears of happiness

or sadness at your favorite character’s death (cough, cough, “Game of Thrones”).

Blanket — What’s better than cozying up behind your screen and viewing episode after episode? Literally nothing. So make sure you get a blanket.

Friends — This only works if you have friends. If you don’t, well … move on to the next category.

If you do, a friend at your side can help you make it through the emotional roller coaster of "Friday Night Lights;" even keep you sane. Venting and bitching to each other can be quite cathartic.

For the intermediate: Stress ball — You know you’re going to get stressed, so instead of yelling at your friend

(again, that’s only if you have one) squeeze a stress ball. It’s healthier.

Dry shampoo — After 10, 50-minute episodes, you aren’t going to want to exert any energy to shower. As gross as it sounds, trust me, it’s true. Dry shampoo is the perfect cure for greasy hair — plus, you can do it while you watch!

Deodorant — You’re going to smell. You seriously will. Do us all a favor and refresh your pits.

Pillow fort — There’s no reason — it’s just fun! Why not relive your childhood and build a nice pillow fort while you watch your favorite show?

Power strip — This is quite the handy invention. You can

charge your computer, phone and whatever other electronics you need while you watch. So useful, especially if you’re there for a while.

Social media — With all of the social media apps we have today, there are an ample amount of places where you can rant about the latest plot twist. This, too, can be quite cathartic. Just please don’t spoil anything.

For the professionals: That “grabber arm” — When laziness has hit you in full force and you can’t escape its grasp, turn to the “grabber arm.” Used to grab objects within 10 feet, the grabber device, or reacher, or whatever the hell it’s called, is the perfect invention for the hardcore

binge-watcher.

Adult diapers/a catheter — Speaking from experience, both the adult diaper and the catheter are the perfect sidekick for any devout binge-watcher. Nothing’s better than being able to poop in your bed while you watch the latest season of “House of Cards.”

For when your show is over: Alcohol — Studies show that this is truly the only thing to turn to when you’ve finished binge-watching your show. The depression and withdrawal that results from the realization that you have to go back to your miserable, uneventful life is traumatic. Wash down your sorrows with a bottle of Jack Daniels, and you’ll be good to go.

6

bupipedream.com | March 13, 2015

FUN

Fun.

RELEASE DATE– Monday, April 6, 2009

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Narrow-necked pear 5 James who robbed trains 10 Wine glass part 14 Pasty-faced 15 Laud, as virtues 16 Drive-__ window 17 “Pow!” relative 18 Immune system agent 19 Litter’s littlest 20 *Shari Lewis puppet 22 ’50s first lady 23 50-and-over org.

24 Open-bodied truck 26 Moon mission name 29 Photo enlargement 30 No-goodnik 31 Really punch 32 Hosp. scanners 35 Extinguish, with “out” 36 “Shh!” (and a hint to the feature shared by the answers to starred clues) 39 Legal Lance 40 __ away: hide on a ship 42 Hit, in billiards 43 Paquin and Nicole Smith 45 Jeff Gordon was its 1993 Rookie of the Year 47 Cavern 48 Sold for a big profit, as tickets 50 Gucci of fashion 51 Brit’s boob tube 52 *Act all innocent 56 Miscellany 57 Soft-tipped pen brand 59 Civil War color 60 Dole’s 1996 running mate 61 Give up 62 This, in Tegucigalpa 63 Draws away from shore 64 Force units 65 Swedish auto

DOWN 1 Cry loudly 2 On-the-job protection org.

3 Pillow covering 4 Drummer’s crashers 5 Rockers __ Tull 6 Many a security guard 7 One of AA’s twelve 8 Sun, in Spain 9 Building addition 10 Layer 11 *Duster’s find at a crime scene 12 Tennessee-born country singer Ford 13 Like a subdued trumpet 21 Biblical spy 22 Paw’s mate?

24 Transmission stuff 25 Opera box 26 Mont Blanc’s range 27 Protruded-lip expression

28 *Precariously situated 29 More azure 31 Cheerleading unit 33 “Let’s leave __ that” 34 Mediocre 37 Pilate’s “Behold!”

38 Late 41 Trounces 44 Annoying people 46 James Bond, e.g.

47 Piercing looks

48 Stir the fire 49 Paparazzi target 50 __ and kicking 52 It can be chronic or shooting 53 Bear among the stars 54 __ Hari 55 “We’re not serving liquor,” briefly 57 Bk. introduction 58 Make, as a wager

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

xwordeditor@aol.com

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Danielle Pilosof

04/06/09

Maze courtesy of KrazyDad

By Elizabeth A. Long (c)2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

04/06/09

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OPINION Friday, March 13, 2015

Sex in the Triple Cities

Explore the wild world of drag

Drag culture can teach everyone about free gender expression Mike Rulli

Sex Columnist

I

Dishonor Society

t’s no secret that businesses exploit college students. From loan sharks to credit card companies, predatory businesses from every industry seek to capitalize on our ignorance.

Scam artists have found a new way to target impressionable college students: offering membership to “exclusive” honor societies and internship programs — at a price.

Don’t buy in.

These groups prey upon the need for recognition. Many parents teach children to strive for academic honor and prestige from an early age. In middle school, parents bought bumper stickers bragging that we made the honor roll. In high school, overachievers joined National Honor Society to get a special graduation cord.

So when the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) sends a letter congratulating a student on their eligibility for membership, the first instinct is to send in due money without a second thought.

NSCS requires a $95 joining fee.

It’s a scam. Promotional materials advertise membership benefits like increased access to scholarships

and educational programs. While the NSCS website does link to internships like the Washington Media Scholars program, anyone can apply to these opportunities without joining NSCS. It also links to online degree programs that cost $50,000 per year. NSCS members pay nearly $100 to follow links that anyone with an internet connection can find with a few mouse clicks.

Yet, NSCS lists nearly 1,000,000 members worldwide. The promise of prestige is that compelling.

Perhaps its membership is so large because any college student with a GPA above 3.4 is eligible. That’s lower than the requirement for the Harpur College dean’s list, a free distinction.

Unfortunately for students, NSCS and other organizations like it aren’t breaking the law. They’re legal tax-exempt, non-profit entities. The only way to stop these organizations is to do research

before buying in. These groups know that suspicious students look them up regularly. Even on sites like College Confidential, organizations infiltrate forums with false information and paid-for testimonials. It’s important to look beyond the first page of search results and look on multiple sites for consensus on an honor society’s credibility.

Not all honor societies scam students. Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and arguably most prestigious honor society, offers membership to students in the top 10 percent of their university’s class. The organization carries a $75 fee and listing membership on a resume indicates a respected level of academic success.

Another way students are swindled is by paying for internships. Internships, so the theory goes, are the foot in the door, and an unpaid one can pay dividends over a career. This can

sometimes be true, but internships where you have to pay for anything other than your own expenses are absurd. You shouldn’t ever want to work for an organization that makes you pay for the labor you provide, and no actual employer should respect them.

But even membership in respected organizations like Phi Beta Kappa is overrated. Instead of padding resumes with “Honors,” students should focus energy on opportunities to gain skills employers value. And never at any point should a student pay an exorbitant amount of money for access to such opportunities. It’s bad enough that most internships are unpaid. It’s silly to pay to get other people’s coffee simply to add another line to a resume. You can’t buy experience and you can’t buy skills. If it seems too good to be true, it is, and if it feels like you are simply buying yourself a title, you are.

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, News Editor, Opinion Editor, Sports Editor, and Release Editor.

In honor of the triumphant return of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” which began its seventh season last Monday, I think it’s finally time to educate you all on the mystifying world of drag and how far it’s come.

According to RuPaul, the art of drag is in its golden age.

Over the course of seven seasons, RuPaul has given 87 drag queens a spotlight and a chance at success.

Some drag queens are using their newly found fame to bring drag to the next level, just as RuPaul did in the 1990s, rising to become a household name.

These new queens are coming into the public eye and American mainstream. From appearances in New York Fashion Week runway shows to advertising campaigns for MAC Cosmetics and American Apparel, queens are making their marks. In the world of gay culture, you can’t blink without a drag queen releasing a new single.

And these queens are beginning to introduce new concepts that the larger community failed to previously consider, most notably “kai kai” and the “tuck.”

To be a drag queen in the first place is a very difficult, painful and time-consuming career. One of the most difficult tasks is the “tuck.”

The “tuck” is exactly what it sounds like. A man takes his penis and pulls it back in between his cheeks.

With the use of a lot of duct tape, he pushes his testicles up into the cavities at the base of the pelvic bone. This is all done to create the illusion of a woman’s vagina.

First, imagine having to walk around with this tape monstrosity in between your legs. Now imagine trying to have sex in this compromised state.

When two drag queens have sex, it’s called a “kai kai.” With eightinch heels on, enough makeup so the back row can see the queens’ performance and a wig through the roof, sex isn’t easy. Many queens choose to opt out of sex in drag but those who embrace the “kai kai” challenge realize how fun it can be.

Like sex between any other pair, there are countless options for positions and maneuvers. “Kai kai” is such an exciting concept because it opens up room for gender fluidity. This pairing opens up the threshold of almost every known gender expression.

In season five of “Drag Race,” RuPaul stated that anyone, regardless of gender, can become a drag queen. All you need to be is fierce! Later in an emotional twist, contestant Monica Beverly Hillz, “ruvealed” that she was transitioning from male to female.

Hillz was the first contestant in the show’s history to reveal this information on air. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” is unique in providing a public avenue for free gender expression.

The world exists beyond the confines of gender. In 2015, shows like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” give me hope that people will finally be able to express their sexuality and gender freely. Even if you don’t want to present as the opposite gender, watching “Drag Race” can teach you the vast spectrum beyond heteronormative, traditional gender roles.

— Mike Rulli is a junior majoring in English

University response to racist fraternity chant is commendable

The harsh actions taken by University of Oklahama president set an example for others to follow Giovanna Bernardo

Columnist

“There will never be a ni**** SAE. You can hang him from a tree, but he can never sign with me.”

If you thought that this was a chant used in the racist South before the civil rights era, you would be mistaken.

Members of the University of Oklahoma’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) chapter sang the song this past Saturday on a bus to a Founder’s Day celebration.

The video documenting the atrocity was sent anonymously

to the UO school newspaper, The Oklahoma Daily, in an email the next day with the intention of exposing this unashamed bigotry in one of Oklahoma’s (and the country’s) oldest fraternities.

SAE boasts of its mission to “promote the highest standards of friendship, scholarship and service.” This mission is in the group’s creed, known as “The True Gentleman,” which every new member has to learn by heart.

Ironically, considering the current situation SAE finds itself in at Oklahoma, the creed firmly states that, “The True Gentleman is the man … who thinks of the rights and feelings of others, rather than his own.” Yeah, right.

What a horrible representation

of a group that has such a longstanding tradition in this country, being over 150 years old. How self-important can these boys — because they are clearly not real men — be to think no one was going to find out about them not only having, but using, this extremely offensive chant?

Defending being a part of Greek Life is hard enough with the complaints of superficiality, exclusivity, elitism and every other reason you probably hear your favorite anti-Greek Life friend spew whenever the subject is brought up. And when you have frat bros behaving this way, it honestly makes it difficult to disagree with these complaints.

Obviously not every chapter of SAE (or any other Greek

organization for that matter) has these kinds of backward traditions. However, when news of them surfaces, they should be met with serious consequences to eradicate any and all trace of that specific organization’s prejudices.

That is just what UO did. And it acted fast.

Later on in the same day in which the video was sent, UO President David Boren made a public statement severing all campus affiliation with the organization, in addition to making sure the fraternity’s members had vacated their house by the following Tuesday, closing it off completely.

On top of all this, Boren issued a public statement affirming his shame for these young

men’s actions. He vehemently reprimanded them for having such a blatant disregard for their fellow humans, stating that they are “disgraceful” and have “violated every principle that [their] university stands for.”

I think such a strong and sure reaction is more astounding than the fact that this kind of blatant racism still exists in 2015 — as sad as that is. The University of Oklahoma has set an impressive standard for colleges across the country to follow when faced with these kinds of scandals.

I am so happy we live in an age where these types of acts are not tolerated or covered up, but met head-on by the officials of such a well-known, large and influential school.

It is also comforting to see that SAE’s wealthy and powerful alumni did not get a chance to cover up the actions of the young men left to carry on the name of their organization. No money or public relations spin can top such direct actions against the self-entitled idiots that sang this song.

These malicious, corrupt and inherently racist kinds of actions should be met with these zerotolerance policies. I am proud to have real men, like the president of UO, stand up for what is right when the “gentlemen” of our generation cannot.

— Giovanna Bernardo is an undeclared sophomore

Smartphones offer users instant rewards to ease social insecurities The constant craving to check social media and text messages is rooted in a desire for stimulation Melanie Sharif

Contributing Columnist

I don’t like to say that I’m addicted to my “smartphone.”

It’s become a cliché. I recognize that it’s just another material possession that I could ditch without much pain if I really needed to. Nonetheless, it’s become clear that although I might not be chemically addicted, I’ve developed a dependency on my phone and I’m beginning to

question why this is.

Recently, an article for Arianna Huffington’s “The Third Metric” estimated that the average cell phone user checks their device about 150 times a day and almost a third of people with smartphones claim to be “addicted” to them.

Cell phone dependency is obviously common. It’s unclear whether obsessively frequent smartphone use qualifies as actual pathological addiction, but it is most certainly true that we feel the loss of our phones when we are without them.

During my brief phone-less periods, I felt stressed. I found

myself checking Facebook on the computer more often and felt anxious about unanswered texts. But it wasn’t all bad: I also felt relieved that I was no longer tied to answering people. I had an excuse to spend lots of time in my own head.

In that time, I realized that I’m so attached to my phone because it’s a social extension of me. My phone puts me in more than one place at once by spreading out my social attention span beyond those physically near me. Now, that’s not to say I don’t pay rapt attention to those around me, but rather that my phone is an

attractive, ever-present source of social stimulation that I crave like I’d crave a cup of coffee.

The same article written for the Huffington Post also mentioned that it’s highly possible that smartphone dependency is correlated with negative mood states. The article explains that’s likely because those who constantly jones for e-updates are often the same people who struggle with keeping their moods elevated. They seek the minirewards provided by Twitter, a text or an email. Basically, those of us dissatisfied with some aspect of our lives — likely the social

aspect — seek the stimulation that smartphones offer when feeling bored or down.

There will always be popular habits that are mildly harmful.

It doesn’t mean that people are less diligent than 20 years ago or that we’re all melting our brains using phones so often. We’re more stimulated than ever before, but smartphones aren’t evil. Our attention spans might be shorter, but then again, we’ve never had so much to pay attention to.

— Melanie Sharif is a sophomore double majoring in English and psychology

I realized that I'm attached to my phone because it's a social extension of me

WRESTLING

Deuel carries No. 13 seed into NCAAs Tournament to be held March 19-21 Friday, March 13, 2015

Cornell routs Binghamton, 22-3 BU snaps three-game win streak with road loss Jeff Twitty

Assistant Sports Editor

Emily Earl/Pipe Dream Photographer

After a short break following a postseason loss, the Binghamton men’s basketball team will return to the hardwood on Monday in preparation for the 2015-16 season.

BU ready to turn the page

Strife in 2014-15 prepares seasoned Bearcats for new year Ashley Purdy Sports Editor

Just 10 days after one season ends, they’re preparing for the next one.

Ten days after falling to Stony Brook in the America East quarterfinals in a highly contested, heartbreaker of a loss that elicited all the wrong feelings out of freshman forwards Romello Walker and Willie Rodriguez, and the Binghamton men’s basketball team is heading back into the grind.

For this team, that short break probably can’t end soon enough.

Directly following their seasonending, 64-57 loss, Walker and Rodriguez were already talking about their plans for the offseason.

The ups and downs, the injuries and departures, the losses and occasional wins of their debut seasons were trying, they said, but it was beneficial in at least one regard.

“It’s definitely going to help us prepare in the offseason,” Rodriguez said. “I know, myself, I’m going to get better. I know my teammates are going to get better as well.”

“I’m trying to grow and trying to capitalize on that in the offseason so I won’t make mistakes like [the

ones I made] during the game,” Walker said.

With the 2014-15 season now in the books and the 6-25 record carved in stone, all those growing pains will have paid off.

“Since we fought through everything, basically, this year, we’re going to come back prepared next year,” Walker said.

Not only Walker and Rodriguez, but sophomore guard Marlon Beck II, freshman guard Justin McFadden and freshman center Bobby Ahearn gained crucial experience through the year, experience that only came at a price.

“In some ways, the injuries were a blessing for the development of the program,” Binghamton head coach Tommy Dempsey said.

“Everybody had to give more, and a lot of guys had an opportunity to play more, and I just think it has us poised to be a really deep team next year.”

With the returns of 6-foot-9 big men Nick Madray and Dusan Perovic, who were lost to injury midseason, and the eligibility of redshirted freshman John Schurman and Jordan McRae, Dempsey will have his perimeter shooting threats back. For the team that finished on the bottom of the

conference in 3-point field-goal percentage, that shooting ability will be as crucial as the depth that will allow Dempsey’s press and run style of play to thrive.

For the first time in the past two seasons, most of that depth will come from the existing roster.

Whereas Dempsey brought in seven freshmen this year and five in the previous season, this summer, the new blood will be scarce. Sixfoot-8 forward Thomas Bruce, who will provide Binghamton a rim protector and an extra big man, is the only member of the class of 2019 who has inked his letter of intent, which he did during the November signing period.

But following former star Jordan Reed’s impromptu departure in December, Binghamton has one more scholarship to fill next season.

While nothing has been settled yet, some Binghamton connections may come to Dempsey’s aid.

Women’s basketball star and 2015 AE Rookie of the Year Jasmine Sina has a brother, none other than former Seton Hall shooting guard Jaren Sina. The older Sina was on an official visit to campus on March 7, when he spent the early afternoon in the Events Center stands watching his sister’s

quarterfinal bout with top-seeded Maine.

Jaren Sina — who started 23 of his 24 games played at Seton Hall during the 2014-15 season before he was granted a transfer waiver — averaged 7.0 points and 2.5 rebounds in 32.2 minutes a contest this season. Named to the Big East All-Rookie team his freshman season, the sophomore guard is also drawing interest from programs like Rutgers, South Carolina and Michigan. Even if Sina signs elsewhere, BU will likely look to add another guard to the program in Reed’s stead.

But for Dempsey, the core of the program’s future is already here.

And beginning Monday, it’ll be all about preparing for 2015-16.

“Now everybody knows what the expectations are in the program so they’re all comfortable with the style and we get eight, nine months with them in the weight room and training on the court,” Dempsey said. “So I just think we’ll be much more physically and mentally ready for November next year, than let’s say we were for November and December these last two years.”

—E.Jay Zarett contributed reporting to this article.

Harbaugh, Martin garner weekly awards In four-game weekend sweep, softball standouts dominate E.Jay Zarett

Assistant Sports Editor

Photos Provided

Junior pitcher Cara Martin threw nine shutout innings in the Myrtle Beach Tournament, en route to being named AE Pitcher of the Week on Monday.

Junior outfielder Sydney Harbaugh earned AE Player of the Week honors on Monday after leading BU with a .643 batting average over the weekend.

After a strong performance at the Myrtle Beach Tournament, the Binghamton University softball team continued adding to its stellar week on Tuesday.

For their efforts in the Bearcats’ (8-6) routing of South Carolina — a four-game sweep taken by a combined score of 40-9 — junior outfielder Sydney Harbaugh earned the America East Player of the Week honors, while junior pitcher Cara Martin garnered the AE Pitcher of the Week award.

“I think overall, we have done a good job,” BU head coach Michelle Burrell said.

“Our girls have done a good job weekend to weekend just making adjustments … I think we’ve seen good improvements all around.

Overall, we are happy where we are at.”

After being named the Conference’s Player of the Year as a sophomore, Harbaugh has picked up right where she left off.

She is currently batting .400 on the season with two home runs and nine steals. Harbaugh is tied for the team lead with 14 RBIs

and her 19 runs scored ranks first in the America East.

“I think she has been really consistent in the box for us,” Burrell said. “She hasn’t put too much pressure on herself … I think her on-base percentage is definitely where we want it to be.”

Harbaugh earned Player of the Week honors after dominating in Myrtle Beach. The junior went 9-for-14 over the four-game stretch while belting two home runs and knocking in five runs.

Harbaugh connected for three hits, delivered three RBIs and scored a pair of runs in BU’s 20-2 rout of Rider on Sunday.

“Last weekend I thought she really felt like she got comfortable in the box,” Burrell said. “She started to hit the ball a lot harder than probably she had the last two weekends. Overall I think she did a really good job.”

After struggling on the mound in her previous outing, when she allowed five earned runs over two innings against Michigan, Martin — who redshirted last season after transferring from Rhode Island — took her opportunity and ran with it. In nine innings at the Myrtle Beach Tournament, Martin did not allow a run, giving up only

four hits and striking out four batters. Martin earned two of the Bearcats’ four victories, including a complete game shutout in BU’s 8-0 win over Manhattan.

“She has done a really good job,” Burrell said. “I think her first weekend out she was definitely tight and nervous on the mound.

She has continued to improve with every game and experience she gets out there. I think she has done a really good job and she has been really stepping up for us in that position.”

The Bearcats are scheduled to return to action this weekend when they head to the North Carolina State Hyatt Place Invitational, where they will face Longwood and Fordham in a doubleheader Friday, Missouri and Lipscomb on Saturday and conclude with a single game against host N.C. State on Sunday. “[We] are looking forward to going into this weekend,” Burrell said. “We’ll see some good competition prior to starting conference play the following weekend.”

First pitch for BU on Friday against Longwood is set for 9 a.m. from the Dail Softball Stadium in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Riding a three-game win streak after dropping its season opener to Ohio State, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team faced another tough early test on Wednesday, hitting the road to take on Cornell.

And against the Ivy League giant, the Bearcats (3-2) were taken to school, falling, 22-3.

“I think we came out pretty flat [on Wednesday],” BU head coach Stephanie Allen said.

“And against an athletic team as Cornell was, if you come out and you’re off your game or you play flat or you fail to compete for 60 minutes, they’re going to exploit that and capitalize on those opportunities.”

CU (4-1) jumped out with two quick goals in the contest’s opening minute en route to establishing a commanding lead, 6-0, before 10 minutes of play had elapsed. Working to get Binghamton on the board, sophomore midfielder Callon Williams found the back of the net on the first of BU’s five shots in the half to make the game 6-1.

By comparison, the Big Red let off a whopping 22 shots in the first 30 minutes — and they didn’t miss much either. Cornell stormed past Binghamton after Williams’ goal, putting up five more goals in just 10 minutes. Senior attack Brianna Russo put the Bearcats back on the board with an unassisted netter of her own to cut CU’s lead to 11-2, but the damage was already done.

Cornell posted two more goals before the end of the period, forcing the Bearcats to head into the locker room facing an 11-goal deficit on the road.

While Binghamton led Cornell in saves in the first stanza, its failure to win in the draw-control battle — only taking 5 of 16 — and gain free-possession opportunities, took control away from the BU offense.

“We honestly didn’t have the ball a whole lot,” Allen said.

“It’s hard to really get extra looks on the cage if you’re not possessing the ball for long periods of time.”

The Bearcats came back onto the field with a greater sense of urgency with the onset of the second half. After junior attack Emily Tripodi scored her fourth on Binghamton to open up play, making the score 142, sophomore attack Brianne Arthur found the third BU goal of the game after a feed from Williams.

But Arthur’s goal, scored just

It's really hard to get extra looks on the cage if you're not possessing the ball for long periods of time — Stephanie Allen BU head coach

past the 28-minute mark in the 30-minute period, was the last that BU saw for the remainder of the game. It was also the last non-free possession shot that BU would see on Cornell’s net in the game’s next 15 minutes.

The Big Red offense, however, continued to roll. CU put up eight consecutive goals in the contest’s remaining minutes — capped by a nail-in-the-coffin goal with 24 seconds to go — to blow BU out, 22-3.

The Bearcats did improve their draw control clip in the half, going 5 for 11. BU also found a slight defensive edge to win the caused turnover game for the entire contest, tallying nine to Cornell’s eight. But, and perhaps most importantly, the game gave Binghamton a chance to see another hightempo offense in Cornell, which, according to Allen, will pay off down the road.

“It’s an opportunity,” Allen said. “When we get into conference play, we’re going to see teams of this caliber or even better. This is an opportunity for us to get on the field and show our level of competitiveness and growth.

Today was a little eye opening.”

With little time to recoup, the Bearcats are set to continue their non-conference stretch at home on Saturday against Marist. Despite the small turnaround window, Binghamton is hopeful looking forward, having already seen two of the toughest teams in the nation on the road.

“We’re going to chip away at it and get back at it [Thursday] with a rejuvenated sense,” Allen said. “With a kind of a different focus from here on out for the remainder of the season.”

First draw control against Marist is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Bearcats Sports Complex.

Emily Earl/Pipe Dream Photographer

Sophomore midfielder Callon Williams tallied a goal and an assist in BU’s 22-3 loss at Cornell on Wednesday.