Spring 2015 Issue 18

RELEASE PRESENTS

Restaurant Week

SEE PAGES 6-10

Friday, March 27, 2015 | Vol. LXXXVII, Issue 18 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

Franz Lino/Photo Editor

Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger addresses members of Students for Change (SFC) and the audience in the Mandela Room regarding the list of demands concerning diversity on campus.

THE GAP KEEPS GROWING Despite initial dialogue, meeting between Students for Change and President Stenger ends abruptly

Nicolas Vega and Joseph Hawthorne

dropped his microphone and walked out of the Mandela Room after two hours of answering campus members’ questions.

News Editors Students for Change, a campus group Tensions between Students for Change whose mission is to fight discrimination at and the administration came to a head Binghamton University, organized the open Wednesday evening when Binghamton town hall meeting with Stenger to address University President Harvey Stenger the list of demands that members presented

to Provost Donald Nieman in late December.

The group was created in the wake of campus protests about the non-indictments of police officers who killed Eric Garner and Michael Brown, but sought to push for further campus reform that would better protect minority members of the University and increase diversity across the school.

Members of the group had been meeting with administrators for months, but after saying they sensed little urgency from those with whom they met, they sought to address the president personally.

After several weeks of protests and negotiations, organizers and administrators agreed on a time and place. From the start,

Stenger was apologetic.

“This is the hardest day of my time in Binghamton,” Stenger said. “I feel personally responsible for these things. I want what you want. I want equality, I want diversity, I want inclusion, I want civility.

See Q&A Page 4

BU student remembered for academic excellence Josh Drayton, passionate student and social activist, passes away at 22 Pelle Waldron

it amongst his studies, according to the priest who spoke at his memorial.

The memorial service was held in the Mandela Room on Feb. 26, and Chris Joshua Drayton, a student at Zamlout, the executive vice president of Binghamton University from the city the Student Association, spoke on behalf of Binghamton, and a lover of music, of the student body. passed away on Feb. 18 due to drug“This is a student that is part of related causes. He was 22. our culture, part of our Binghamton Drayton, a senior majoring in University, and we just lost a small sociology, was loved by his friends, piece of that,” said Zamlout, a senior family and teachers. He was passionate majoring in philosophy, politics and law. about music and always found time for “The loss of someone is tremendous, Pipe Dream News

we can’t emphasize enough that this is a loss of someone who was active on campus, someone who touched the lives of people.”

According to his professors, Drayton was very interested in social theory, and contributed to his class discussions passionately. Ana Candela, an assistant professor in the sociology department, taught Drayton in her course on gender in Chinese society.

See J.D. Page 2

Visiting prof. explains the mystical side of Islam Khalid Bekkaoui talks the growing popularity of Sufism in Morrocco Zachary Wingate News Intern

John Babich/Pipe Dream Photographer

Khalid Bekkaoui, a scholar at Bridgewater State University and a faculty member at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, speaks about an Islamic sect called Sufism. Bekkaoui discussed how the religion and culture of its followers have not been static but have adapted to globalization.

More than a billion people around the world identify as Muslim, but just like with other major religions, Islam is not a monolith. Visiting from Morroco, English professor Khalid Bekkaoui looked to break down the significance of just one sect of Islam.

Bekkaoui, a Fulbright scholar at Bridgewater State University and a faculty member at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez, spoke Tuesday in the Library North Conference Room about Sufism, a mystical and spiritual sect of Islam.

According to Bekkaoui, Sufism has become increasingly popular in his native country.

“Western media talks about Islam as if it is one homogeneous entity,” Bekkaoui said. “Geographically there are various forms of Islam. Each country has its own,

with its own forms and schools.”

Coming from the Arabic word for wool, Bekkaoui said, Sufis believe in a hidden spiritual truth with an emphasis on purification and enlightenment.

According to Bekkaoui, in Morocco there are three major sects in the Sufi movement. An offshoot of one of these branches that has become most popular is called Tariqa Qadiriyya Boutchichiyya.

It began in the early 20th century, and by 1990 it had a wide intellectual following in Morocco.

“It’s particularly popular in youth and women because it gives a lot of emphasis on the role of women and encourages learning religion and secular sciences,” Bekkaoui said.

Bekkaoui’s lecture also focused on Sufism within the framework of a globalized society. He described how Sufism has spread through immigration and the Internet, and that people from

See ISLAM Page 2

Duncan McInnes/Pipe Dream Staff Photographer

Sodexo Dining Services and Campus Recreation sponsor a fair with campus and community vendors to promote healthy choices. Binghamton students and community members participated in a multitude of physical activities and demonstrations at the Health Fair.

From yoga to yogurt, health fair pushes mental, physical well-being At ninth-annual festival, Campus Recreation and Sodexo Dining Services encourage healthy habits Zuzu Boomer-Knapp

Hospital, the Eating Awareness Committee and Real Education About College Health.

The Health Fair was originally created by Sodexo to promote healthy choices, and last On Wednesday afternoon, the East year was the first time Sodexo partnered Gym was filled with preschoolers wobbling with Campus Rec. into yoga stretches and students powering Alexa Schmidt, the co-coordinator of the blenders by riding stationary bikes in Health Fair and dietitian for Binghamton celebration of the ninth annual Health Fair. University, said the Health Fair was a oneHosted by Campus Recreation and stop shop to learn about physical, emotional, Sodexo Dining Services, the event filled sexual and mental health. Physical health two floors of the East Gym in order to fit activities included fitness demos and all 81 campus and community vendors participating, which included Lourdes See HEALTH Page 2 Staff Writer

Through farmers' markets and bike lanes, six urban planners talk making a difference

Speakers from the Urban Planning Professional Network Panel showcase projects around Binghamton, discuss job opportunities in the field Michelle Kraidman

Urban planners try to improve the welfare of a community by creating building projects and infrastructure. This can include orchestrating and designating To build and expand cities it takes more the construction of bridges, roads and than just construction projects — it takes open spaces. planning. Several urban planners came Melissa Enoch, one of the six to Binghamton University on Tuesday professionals who spoke in the Old to discuss their work organizing densely University Union at the Urban Planning populated areas.

Professional Network Panel, explained that Staff Writer

urban planning is an umbrella term for a variety of areas.

A sustainable development planner, Enoch said she always wanted to go to law school, but learned from an environmental lawyer that such work was mainly about reacting to acts against the environment.

Now, as a development planner, she said she can directly make a difference.

“It’s a lot of paper pushing, but it’s worth

it,” Enoch said. “You can shape a project and there are a lot of opportunities.”

Frank Evangelisti, chief planner of Broome County, described how he moved through numerous urban planning jobs and helped create comprehensive plans for the local area; plans had not existed for more than a decade. He said one of his more rewarding projects was simply organizing a year-round farmers’ market.

Jennifer Yonkoski, a senior transportation planner at Binghamton Metropolitan Transportation Study (BMTS), spoke about a plan for a $6.9 million project to improve the general quality of living in Binghamton, like adding a bike lane connecting Vestal Parkway directly to Downtown, which

See URBAN Page 2

2

NEWS

bupipedream.com | March 27, 2015

For a job in human resources, a look outside the classroom Dan Higham exposes necessary steps to gaining experience, successful career search Alexis Hatcher Staff Writer

Members of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) came together Wednesday night to hear career advice from human resources professional Dan Higham, who sat down to discuss the nitty gritty of how to find a job in

Kevin Sussy/Contributing Photographer

As a professional representing the Southern Tier Association for Human Resources, Dan Higham talks about the importance of internship opportunities to gain work experience.

human resources (HR).

Higham, who graduated from Oswego University in 2011, majored in human resources management and began working as the HR generalist for Time Warner Cable after graduation.

He currently serves as the membership chairperson for the Southern Tier Association for Human Resources (STAHR). At STAHR, he coordinates recruiting, retention and engagement efforts.

During his talk, Higham emphasized the importance of students starting internships early in their college careers. Higham completed two internships while attending SUNY Oswego, working as a human resources intern for both Pepsi Beverages Company and Gypsum Express. Not only did these internships help to build his resume, but they taught him important skills he could not have learned through school, he said.

“I felt they gave me practical experience in the HR field,” Higham wrote in an email. “School helps with the foundational knowledge, internships help bring that knowledge to life.”

Higham also stressed the importance of having a wellorganized résumé. He described

a cover letter as a commercial for an applicant’s résumé, and suggested only listing a GPA when it is in the middle to upper 3.0 range. He explained that resources on campus had been helpful to him, such as the career center and organizations like SHRM. “Networking, building a strong resume and practicing interviewing skills can be very helpful tools in the job search,” Higham wrote. “With that said, it could vary by person and even by major on what works best.”

It was networking that brought Higham to Binghamton University and to the attention of SHRM President Samara Monte, a senior double-majoring in economics and human development. Monte had heard of Higham through contacts at her own internship at Lourdes Hospital, and met him when she attended a STAHR event.

“I thought that it was great,” Monte said. “Not only would he let us know about what he does as an HR professional, which we’re all interested in, but also what he does for STAHR, which we cooperate with.”

Monte said she found Higham’s advice on résumé building and

how to stand out to employers especially helpful.

“Not only did he give advice for us to mimic other people’s success, but basically to mimic his, too,” she said.

Higham said that it was important to start thinking about careers sooner rather than later. His strong network of connections was what helped him during his own job search.

“I applied to many jobs when I was job searching my last semester in school,” Higham wrote. “Be patient and don’t give up.”

Higham is one of numerous HR professionals SHRM plans to have come speak over the next month. Tom Popielarski, a member of BU’s HR department, will be joining them next on April 15.

Casey Pritchard, a junior majoring in business administration who attended the talk, said that he was a useful resource with lot of advice to give.

“He knows his stuff about networking — he’s a great keystone to have,” Pritchard said.

“The biggest thing that resonated with me was when he about staying curious. That’s what really took me.”

At ninth-annual health fair, Sodexo pushes healthy options HEALTH continued from Page 1 health screenings. Interpersonal Violence Prevention was among organizations providing emotional support, and sexual health resources offered information about condom varieties.

“I looked for a variety of community resources, campus resources, food and drink and fitness,” Schmidt said. “It’s not just food and it’s not just fitness, but looking at overall health and wellness.”

Many students surrounded the free food and drinks offered by

Sodexo, like Boar’s Head, Hissho Sushi and Yolato, which is the frozen yogurt offered on campus.

Group fitness demonstrations also drew a large crowd and participants, as students tried out different fitness routines such as yoga. A favorite routine was put on by a BU Taekwondo class, where students of many different levels and ranks sparred with one another and demonstrated their punches and kicks.

“I saw the little kids doing yoga and that was really cute,” said Tiffany Lu, a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience. “It’s

really good that they get the community involved in these events because we’re known as such a college town.”

According to Schmidt, the main difference from last year’s event was Jim Donovan, a drummer from Rusted Root, hosting drum circles throughout the event in which students could participate.

Schmidt attended one of his drumming events and reached out to him after enjoying the program.

“People don’t always connect the drum circle with wellness,” Schmidt said. ”But there’s a lot of research out there showing that

it can help with stress reduction as well as creating a sense of community and fun.”

Thomas Sullivan, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering, said that he has been to the Health Fair each year since attending BU, but that this year was his favorite because of the sense of community.

“People need to see how important health is,” Sullivan said.

“This gives them opportunities to see how they can be healthier and what they can do to make small, simple changes in their life which can be better for them.”

With goals for growth, urban planners share ideas for local projects URBAN continued from Page 1 would give students easier access to Downtown from campus.

She said that such work was an example of how students could get involved and help.

“It’s an expensive project, but it’s an important connection for students to reach Downtown,” Yonkoski said. “Along those lines, one of the things that they’re doing to help the Binghamton area is creating more sidewalks

such as the new one by the bus stop by Target. So they’re trying their best.”

Speakers urged students, regardless of their particular studies, to look for ways to get involved.

Katie Shepard, the director of communications for the Students of Urban Planning club, said she helped organize this event to teach students about opportunities for urban planning, especially in the local area. She highlighted chances

to get involved as new student housing and local sidewalks were being built.

“I wanted to give students an opportunity to network with planners both on the county level and on the city level and also the private sector,” said Shepard, a senior double-majoring in psychology and urban planning.

“It helps students who aren’t familiar with urban planning get an understanding of what urban planning is.”

Katie Garrison, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, said that attending this event opened her up to new career options.

“I thought I’d come to see how it is to work for the government versus working in the private sector,” Garrison said.

“It was interesting because, as a mechanical engineering major, I would never think to do something like this, but now it seems like a good thing to explore.”

Moroccan professor explains spiritual, global sect of Islam ISLAM continued from Page 1 other backgrounds, such as English and French speakers, are now teaching it as well. According to him, this was uncommon in the history of Islam.

“We are looking at how Islam and Sufism is impacted as it travels outside its natural milieu and how it is appropriated by other people who come from other religious backgrounds,” Bekkaoui said.

One example of how globalization has influenced Sufism is the brotherhood of the Murabitun. It was founded by Scottish-born actor Ian Dallas who converted to Islam in Morocco in the 1930s and now teaches his own school of Sufism in South Africa under the name Shaykh Abdalqadir as-Sufi.

“The Murabitun is a branch of a Sufi, it sees itself as a Sufi

order,” Bekkaoui said. “It’s very interesting how he has reinvented a new form of political Islam.”

Although teachings of the Murabitun have many of the same principles and procedures of a typical brotherhood, they specifically believe terrorism and fundamentalism are consequences of poverty and lack of education. To help end terrorism, the group calls for a dismantling of capitalism by boycotting financial institutions and dominant currencies like the dollar.

For Hadassah Head, the Binghamton religion and spirituality project coordinator, that philosophy was particularly intriguing.

“The idea that we need to do something about poverty and income disparity was not a topic that I previously heard being addressed from an Islamic

perspective,” Head said.

Although Bekkaoui does not identify as Sufi, his academic interest in it brought him to do a research project with BU’s political science and sociology professor Ricardo Larémont and Africana Studies professor Moulay-Ali Bouanani, who invited Bekkaoui to visit and speak to students.

Kane Sauchuk, a junior triple-majoring in history, political science and philosophy, politics and law, said he found both the lecture and discussion enlightening. Sauchuk said he studied Tunisian and Saudi Arabian religious fundamentalism and its popularity among impoverished young people with limited class mobility.

“It’s fascinating to see Morocco faced with those same problems,” Sauchuk said, “promoting a moderate Sufism as an alternative.”

Western media talks about Islam as if it is one homogeneous entity.

Geographically there are various forms — Khalid Bekkaoui Visiting Professor

Josh Drayton, passes away at 22, remembered for activisim on campus J.D. continued from Page 1 “Joshua was a truly brilliant and deeply engaged young man,” Candela said. “I learned that Joshua cared about social issues, about people’s struggles and about thinking critically about the world in which we live.”

Geetisha Dasgupta, a doctoral candidate studying sociology, taught a small class that Drayton was in. She said that he was always active in class, and that he

was very knowledgeable about the subject matter.

“Josh as a student was superb,” Dasgupta said. “I wish every class has more people like him. He was a really critical mind; we often get students who don’t have any inkling about what’s happening around them.

Josh wasn’t like that at all, he was up ahead of his peers in the class.”

Denis O’Hearn, the chair of the sociology department, did

not know Drayton personally, but he said that everyone in the department who did know him spoke very highly of him.

“I heard very good things about him, how bright of a student he was,” O’Hearn said.

“When he passed and I talked to people about him, they were quite shocked because the people that knew him thought very highly of him, he was a guy who stood out in class because he would discuss things at a pretty high level.”

Candela said that Drayton will be missed by everyone he knew.

“He was greatly loved and will be deeply missed by the hundreds of family members, friends and community people that were part of his life,” Candela said. “He was the rare kind of student that makes teaching worthwhile, and gives you tremendous hope.”

Drayton is survived by his parents, Christopher and Jeanne Drayton, his brother Cameron and his sister Jaden.

Dassie Hirschfield/Pipe Dream Photographer

Gayle Zachmann, a professor from the University of Florida, lectures on “new antiSemitism,” present-day hostility or prejudice toward Jewish people. She spoke in the University Union Thursday night as part of a lecture series sponsored by Harpur Edge.

Visiting prof. describes trials of Jews in France

Gayle Zachmann explores anti-semitism, prejudice against Jewish French citizens Chloe Rehfield Pipe Dream News

Since the 1848 French Revolution, France has been founded on democratic principles of human rights and social equality. Gayle Zachmann, a professor from the University of Florida, said the promotion of these ideals could distract from the bigger issue at hand — antiSemitism.

Zachmann, a French professor, spoke in the University Union Thursday night as part of a lecture series sponsored

by Harpur Edge. In her presentation, she explored what it means to be Jewish in presentday France.

She started off the talk by discussing the “new antiSemitism,” a form of radical hostility or prejudice toward Jewish people that developed in the early 21st century. She said it is taking over in France, as citizens have been masking contempt for Jews under the guise of the opinions on the Islamic and Jewish conflict, instead of recognizing it as hatred of the religion itself.

“The French Republic is supposed to be blind to religion,” Zachmann said. “Everyone is one and the same. But because of this, the government doesn’t want to take responsibility for admitting hatred towards a group of people because of their religion.”

Zachmann also said that Zionism, a movement to have one land for all Jewish people, is commonly rejected in France.

“For many people in this country, Jerusalem and the promised land will always remain metaphors,” she said.

Since the early 2000s, she said, clear anti-Semitic practices have been implemented within French society. Zachmann said yarmulkes, jewelry and any charms representing Jewish culture are banned in public.

Mezuzahs, a scroll holding Hebrew blessings that is placed outside a Jewish person’s door, are now moved inside the house partly because of fear but also because hiding Jewish identity has become standard in France.

“There are social pressures to hide one’s differences,” Zachmann said. “Being the same is safer. It’s more acceptable to be a Yankees fan than to be a Jew.” Public school cafeterias also divided their food area into two sections, she said, one with pork and one without, segregating Jews and Muslims from their peers.

Anne McCall, dean of Harpur College, said it is integral to understand that anti-Semitism comes in all forms and affects everyone, not just victims seen in the news.

“It’s not always the big killings

There are social pressures to hide one's differences.

Being the same is safer.

It's more acceptable to be a Yankees fan than to be a Jew — Gayle Zachmann Visiting Professor

or the blowing something up that matters, but daily life,” McCall said.

It was only after the recent terrorist attacks that targeted Jews, Zachmann said, that the government began to recognize the issue as a national one, not just a Jewish one.

“France [has] the thirdlargest [Jewish] community in the world,” Zachmann said. “It wasn’t until January, though, that people began to take notice to this rich and distinct community.”

The January attacks consisted of the shootings of four men in a kosher supermarket, and an anti-government demonstration throughout Paris. Thousands of people marched in the protest, shouting things like “Heil Hitler,” or “Jews, we don’t want you.”

Robin Stieglitz, a junior double- majoring in Spanish and French linguistics, said she was upset to learn how prominent anti-Semitism is today.

“I know that there is racism everywhere, but people are so determined to get rid of Jews in France,” Stieglitz said. “It’s eerily reminiscent of the Holocaust.”

McCall highlighted the importance of learning about discrimination in different cultures is one way to begin fixing the problem.

“We all need a better understanding of important and disturbing events and of the complexity of debates happening in other countries,” McCall said. “If we look at world news through a critical lens, we can become more tolerant.”

Got News?

Do you have news tips or an event you'd like Pipe Dream to cover?

Email Nicolas Vega, News Editor, at news@bupipedream.com.

PAGE III Friday, March 27, 2015

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

Pipe Line

Bang With Friends

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

LOCAL NEWS Man robbed same bank twice in 2 weeks in 2012 State police say they’ve charged a 54-year-old man with robbing the same upstate New York bank twice within two weeks more than two years ago. Troopers say they arrested Scott Wade of Binghamton on Monday on two counts of robbery following his indictment last month by a Broome County grand jury. Police say Wade was the man who robbed the First Niagara Bank branch on state Route 7 in Conklin, outside Binghamton, on Nov. 14, 2012.

Two weeks later, state police at Binghamton again were called to the same bank after it was robbed by a man with a similar description as the one from the first robbery. Wade is being held in the county jail without bail. It couldn’t be determined if he has a lawyer.

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 UNIVERSITY NEWS ‘Animal House’ frat at Dartmouth accused of branding members A Dartmouth College fraternity that partly inspired the 1978 movie “Animal House” has been accused of branding new members while under suspension last fall. Alpha Delta has a significant record of disciplinary violations, including hazing, serving alcohol to minors and hosting unregistered parties. College spokesman Justin Anderson said the recent allegations, first reported by the website Gawker, involve incidents that happened last fall, when the fraternity was suspended for previous policy violations. Attorney George Ostler said Wednesday that the fraternity acknowledges that a small group of members voluntarily chose to get body brands, but said the practice was never a condition of membership and has since stopped. College spokesman Justin Anderson declined to discuss details of the allegations. After being on probation for most of the previous three years, the fraternity was suspended in October for hosting an unregistered party for about 70 people in August and for a March 2014 party that featured rum, whiskey and other liquor without having a designated server or someone checking IDs. That suspension was supposed to end March 29, but Anderson said Dartmouth is extending it and considering harsher punishment, including permanent removal of the fraternity, if the allegations are founded. The investigation comes amid increased scrutiny of fraternities as colleges nationwide grapple with issues of high-risk drinking and sexual assault.

WORLD NEWS Airlines to require 2 crew members in cockpit at all times Airlines and officials around the world on Thursday began requiring two crew members to always be present in the cockpit, after details emerged that the co-pilot of Germanwings Flight 9525 had apparently locked himself in the cockpit and deliberated crashed the plane into the mountains below. Leading European budget airlines Norwegian Air Shuttle and EasyJet, along with Air Canada, say they will now require a minimum of two crew members in the cockpit while a plane is in the air. A group representing Germany’s biggest airlines, including Lufthansa and Air Berlin, say they plan similar rules. German Aviation Association spokeswoman Christine Kolmar said the plan will be presented to German aviation authorities on Friday and the airlines will implement it “as soon as possible.” Canada’s government also issued an immediate order requiring two crew members to be in the flight deck at all times.

Transport Minister Lisa Raitt said the government is reviewing all policies and procedures and is watching the situation in Europe closely. Following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, U.S. airlines revamped their policies regarding staffing in the cockpit. But the procedure is not standard in Europe or Canada.

Asst. releAse editor Odeya Pinkus sPorts editor* Ashley Purdy sports@bupipedream.com Asst. sPorts editors Jeff Twitty E.Jay Zarett Fun PAge editor* Ben Moosher fun@bupipedream.com Franz Lino/Photo Editor

Students attend Jim Donovan’s interactive world drumming workshop on Wednesday in the Old Union Hall. Donovan, an award-winning educator and multi-platinum recording artist, held three drumming sessions during the Health Fair to relieve stress and increase mental focus.

design MAnAger* Emma C Siegel design@bupipedream.com design Assts.

Corey Futterman John Linitz Photo editor* Franz Lino photo@bupipedream.com

Harpur History Later that spring [of 1947, the United Student Government] proposed the creation of an all-student judicial system.

“All cases of student conduct shall be tried before a board of students who shall review these cases with the view of justice and to protect their fellow students from arbitrary faculty decrees.”

The proposal had no discernible impact on the faculty or administration.

—Stephen McIntire, “Harpur College in the Bartle Era”

Asst. Photo editor Klara Rusinko

Corrections 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.

“I think that this incident is going to have a profound effect on the industry and how pilots are screened on an ongoing basis and what they are screened for” — Peter Goelz, a former managing director at the National Transportation Safety Board on the crash of Germanwings Airbus A320

editoriAl Artists Miriam Geiger Paige Gittelman CoPy desk ChieF* Emily Howard copy@bupipedream.com Asst. CoPy desk ChieF Paul Palumbo leAd Web develoPer* William Sanders developer@bupipedream.com business MAnAger* Erin Stolz business@bupipedream.com Pipe Dream is published by the Pipe Dream Executive Board, which has sole and final discretion over the newspaper’s content and personnel. *Positions seated on the Executive Board are denoted by an asterisk.

Pipe Dream is published Tuesdays and Fridays while classes are in session during the fall and spring semesters, except during finals weeks and vacations.

Pipe Dream accepts stimulating, original guest columns from undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty. Submissions should be 400 to 500 words in length and be thus far unpublished.

Submissions must include the writer’s name and phone number, and year of graduation or expected year of graduation. Graduate students and faculty members should indicate their standing as such, as well as departmmental affiliation. Organizational (i.e. student group) affiliations are to be disclosed and may be noted at Pipe Dream’s discretion. Anonymous submissions are not accepted.

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Submissions may be e-mailed to the Opinion Editor at opinion@bupipedream.com.

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bupipedream.com | March 27, 2015

President Stenger storms out following tense meeting with Students for Change Q&A continued from Page 1 You ask me to help you. And I’m going to help as much as I can.”

After opening remarks from a few members of Students for Change, the president began with his own opening statement. He then took his place at the front of the room to answer any and all questions that the more than 100 students, faculty and administrators in attendance had for him.

Attendees asked him how he would respond to racist epithets on campus, how he would restrain the University Police Department and what specific actions he would take to protect minority students if threatened.

Some students specifically asked about banning the social media site Yik Yak on campus, and asked if he would formally commit to a “zerotolerance policy” for racism that would mirror the policy toward plagiarism. Other suggestions included loosening restrictions for hiring faculty, finding a way to involve student organizations more and stopping University police officers from regularly carrying firearms while on patrol.

Multiple students brought up the recent incident at the University of Oklahoma where a group of fraternity brothers was videotaped chanting a racist song on a bus. One asked Stenger if he would have the same response as that university’s president and expel and suspend the students involved.

Stenger said that he personally

You ask me to help you.

And I'm going to help you as much as I can — Harvey Stenger BU President

was disgusted by threatening epithets and has publicly spoken out against them on several occasions, but added that he would defer judgment and punishment to the student conduct process.

“I can — maybe once — override governance,” he explained. “But if I ignore governance, I won’t be president for very long.”

On numerous occasions, the president simply responded to questions with “I don’t know,” instead opting to call on attendees to offer guidance and work with him to improve the University.

Stenger also said that he and his staff were working hard on the 21 current demands submitted by Students for Change, but declined to offer any concrete dates to demonstrate progress on them.

He asked attendees to be patient with the process and accept certain suggestions from the BU administration.

“To wait for this kind of a meeting to occur for each one of the demands — we won’t get there,” Stenger said. “We need to break them all into smaller pieces and attack them, knowing that we’re not doing that just to slow you down, just to throw stuff in your way.

We’re doing it because we really do think that’s the way change will happen. ” A major point of contention during the event was over the role of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) and its administrators. Students and faculty both questioned the qualifications of Valerie Hampton, the chief diversity officer.

Attendees and organizers claimed that members of the office, specifically Hampton, were unhelpful and at times even condescending and hostile about their concerns. Stenger defended the office by pointing out that it has only been around for one year, and that it is still evolving to better serve campus.

He stated several times that he was “confident” in both Hampton’s abilities and his choice to put her in charge, and when pushed about it

. . . it may have been draining . . . but he broke.

He broke this evening. And that is not a good thing — Michael West BU Professor

further by several speakers, referred to it as a “personnel matter.”

Nearly halfway through, Jibri Easter, a senior majoring in English, came to the microphone.

“Do you feel the tension here?

Do you feel like it’s a bunch of people here to just jump on you?”

Easter asked, to which Stenger said he did not. “I think you should feel that way, in all honesty. Here’s the thing, we’re doing a lot of bashing of you, but we need to be hand-inhand with you.”

Jordan White, a junior majoring in sociology, told the president that he needed to provide more tangible solutions.

“As students of color in this school we feel uncomfortable and your response makes me even more uncomfortable, because I’m like ‘Damn, if he doesn’t have the answers, who does have the answers?’” asked White.

A standout moment for many in attendance was when Kelvin Santiago, a sociology professor who signed a letter with other faculty members calling for the president to better address the concerns of student activists, reminded Stenger that he used to be a teacher as well.

Santiago asked him what he would do if a student took an open-ended exam and turned in answers like “I

Franz Lino/Photo Editor

BU President Harvey Stenger addresses members of Students for Change (SFC) and the audience regarding the list of demands that SFC released in late December.

don’t know” and “I’ll do better next time.”

“I would fail them,” Stenger said.

Geremy Kaplan, a senior majoring in political science, said afterward that he understood the president’s hesitancy to make future commitments, but that his answers were unreasonably vague.

“Obviously he can’t give material, exact answers of what he is going to do, but he needed to ensure people that he is going to do everything in his power, that it was his number one priority and that he was taking them seriously,” Kaplan said. “I think he just took it too personally and he didn’t give that confidence.”

After dozens of questions, one of the organizers, Epiphany Munoz, a sophomore double-majoring in sociology and Africana studies, took the microphone to ask Stenger if he would send a representative to similar meetings to report on the progress of the administration.

And that was the point at which it appeared that the president had had enough of the meeting.

“No,” he said, before dropping the microphone and storming out of the door. “I’m going to even consider whether I want to stay here.”

Stenger’s sudden departure,

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STONY BROOK THIS SUMMER SUMMERSESSIONS 2015

which occurred 15 minutes after the event was scheduled to end, left many attendees shocked. Tiffany Traille, a member of Students for Change and an undeclared sophomore, said that she felt the president’s decision to leave was disrespectful and that she felt like he had not come to the meeting prepared.

“I think we all recognized that he might not be the person who we need here,” she said. “He seems to be incompetent on the issues.”

Michael West, a professor of sociology and Africana studies, said that he was speechless when Stenger left.

“I was completely taken aback,” he said. “I’m, frankly, scandalized. I really [didn’t] know how to respond to that.”

He said that he believes the president owes the student body an apology and an explanation, and suggested that the president needed more patience.

“When you’re president, there’s a lot of heat you have to take,” West said. “And you have to be able to hold up under fire. You have to be able to withstand pressure. I well appreciate that it may have been draining for him physically, mentally, emotionally, but he broke.

He broke this evening. And that is

not a good thing.”

Stenger could not be reached for comment after the event, but released a statement Thursday evening saying that he felt it would be best to address the issues at a later date.

“My office and the offices of our Vice Presidents and Deans will continue to work to ensure that our campus continues to be allinclusive,” he said. “I am asking that we all work together in a respectful manner to move our campus forward.”

We're [delegating tasks] because we really do think that's the way change will happen —Harvey Stenger BU President

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6

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bupipedream.com | March 27, 2015

Restaurant Week RELEASE PRESENTS

SPRING 2015

BROAD AVENUE

ROUTE 363 FRONT STREET

Czech Pleeze 223 Robinson St. (607) 217-4889

CONKLIN AVENUE The Shop 219 Washington St. (607) 296-4436

STATE STREET Little Venice 111 Chenango St. (607) 724-2513

River Bistro 225 Water St. (607) 722-7575

Water Street Brewing Co.

Burger Mondays 23 Henry St. (607) 722-7777

168 Water St. (607) 217-4546

MAIN STREET

On the Roxx Bar & Grill 528 Court St. (607) 722-3606

Citrea

Taste of Europe

Suite 3, 7 Court St. (607) 722-0039

440 Court St. (607) 296-4213

ROUTE 7

Thai Time 96 Front St. (607) 724-8424

CONKLIN AVENUE

Sake-Tumi 71 Court St. (607) 238-1771

Uncle Tony’s 79 State St. (607) 723-4488

NORTH SHORE DRIVE

RIVERSIDE DRIVE

VESTAL PARKWAY South Side Yanni’s 1200 Vestal Ave. (607) 723-1403

Not to scale: Further down the road

NORTH

Sake-tumi E.Jay Zarett | Assistant Sports Editor If you’ve never been to SakeTumi, you’re missing out on some of the best Asian food in the area.

Binghamton’s local Asian fusion restaurant is located at 71 Court St., just a few minutes’ walk from State Street.

Before entering the sushi-filled world of Sake-Tumi, I was a bit skeptical. The only Japanese food

I’d ever eaten has come from Long Island and let’s face it, I didn’t think it would compare (typical, right?). However, upon arrival, my doubt was immediately assuaged by the intimate atmosphere and wonderful staff.

The restaurant was small, with about 10 tables in front and a sushi bar, as well as high-top tables in the back that displayed a comforting, warm atmosphere.

From the beginning, the

Emma Siegel/Design Manager

service was top-notch. My partner in crime, Emma, and I were greeted almost instantaneously by a friendly hostess and we were seated within seconds of entering the building.

Since every sushi restaurant has its own different rolls and specials, Emma naturally had questions about what to order (me being the astute journalist I am, I knew what I was ordering three days ago when I was given the assignment, of course). Our waitress handled her questions with aplomb, answering every question without stumbling or even having to think. Clearly she was well trained. (Also, props to her for refilling my water glass 22 times throughout dinner and never complaining). After the back-and-forth exchange, it was decided. I ordered gyoza for my appetizer and the green maki roll for my entrée, while Emma had salmon nigiri and the rainbow roll.

After only about seven minutes, our appetizers arrived and we were not disappointed.

While the portion size was small,

only four gyozas and three nigiri, the flavor was anything but. My gyoza (fried dumplings, for those who don’t know) was perfectly crunchy on the outside with a tasty delectable filling. Emma’s nigiri was delicious, with moist, fresh salmon and rice that packed a flavorful punch.

One table change (due to poor photographic lighting) later, we finished our appetizer in about two minutes. Within seconds our plates were cleared and our waitress had refilled my water glass (about the 13th time at that point). Just minutes later, our entrées arrived.

The green maki was one of the best rolls I have ever had.

The shrimp tempura inside was cooked to perfection, with just the right amount of cream cheese in the center to enhance the flavors.

The generous portion of avocado and spicy mayo were the perfect complements, making every bite delicious. Emma’s rainbow roll, a combination of crab, avocado, salmon, yellowtail and masago was every bit as enjoyable. The

texture was perfect and all of the components of the dish blended together well.

After much debate (and four water fill-ups later), we settled on our desserts. I chose the carrot cake while Emma ordered green-tea mochi ice cream. When they came though, I was mildly disappointed. I was expecting a full piece of cake, but the dessert was actually just three bite-sized pieces. While they tasted good and were the perfect level of sweet, the small portion size left me wanting more. Emma, on the other hand, enjoyed hers. She was fascinated by the texture of the mochi ice cream, which neither of us had ever experienced before. The dessert featured an interesting mix of flavors (Emma rated it 6/10).

Overall, Sake-Tumi is great for Asian fusion, featuring delicious sushi and appetizers, but stay away from the dessert to avoid wanting more. The small appetizer and dessert make the $20 price-tag a little steep, however.

7

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March 27, 2015 | www.bupipedream.com

South Side Yanni's Tiffany Moustakas | Release After being under the same management for 15 years, South Side Yanni’s is getting a menu makeover — and it’s starting with Restaurant Week.

Traditionally, the restaurant specializes in serving both American and Greek food thanks to its previous owners, George and Dino Kermidas. However, the restaurant’s new owners, John and Susanne Clarke, are looking to take the menu in a new direction by mid-May. Chef Ryan Richards was hired under a month ago as South Side Yanni’s new cook. His vision is to bring a new vibe to the flavors and textures of classic American fusion food. Since this is the restaurant’s fourth time participating in Restaurant Week, it’s giving Richards the chance to debut new food.

“We’re certainly getting new faces in here,” Richards said. “New people are getting a look at the business and that’s kind of why we’re doing something different than what it used to be.”

Located at 1200 Vestal Ave., the restaurant has the disadvantage of not being in the heart of Downtown Binghamton. It stands alone on

a corner, overshadowed by other popular restaurants such as Whole in the Wall and Number 5. But South Side Yanni’s has the vibe of the quintessential Downtown restaurant. With dim lights, large space and a relaxed vibe, the restaurant is reminiscent of Uncle Tony’s on State Street. If the restaurant was centrally located Downtown, there’s a high chance it would attract more Binghamton University students.

What makes South Side Yanni’s stand out immediately is its speedy service. Despite having multiple patrons during dinner hours, the wait staff is energetic and extremely helpful.

The restaurant’s $21 threecourse dinner begins with a choice of either a homemade soup or a roasted sweet potato quinoa salad.

The homemade soup, a creamy chicken potato bacon soup, is a standard soup with a twist. Don’t bother searching for bacon bits.

Unlike with other soups that pride themselves on featuring bacon, this one has bacon-infused potatoes.

The roasted sweet potato quinoa salad also puts a spin on the classic salad and leaves you wondering if you should pursue healthy eating more often.

Richards takes a lot of pride in the fact that everything is fresh,

John Babich/Pipe Dream Photographer

healthy and made from scratch.

“Everything works together, flavor-wise,” Richards said. “And I guess no matter what you get, whether it be the soup or salad, going into the entrée it’s going to complement it. It’s not going to be so dramatic.”

For the second course, the panroasted salmon and char-grilled ribeye steak are two entrées that stand out the most on the menu.

Although both seem overcooked when you first bite into them from the outside, both entrées are delicious in their own ways. What

makes the pan-roasted salmon special is that despite how small it looks, it will fill you up because of the abundance of parsnip puree.

And if you like the puree more than salmon, you can spend the rest of your meal eating that. The chargrilled ribeye steak is worth picking off of the dinner menu because you get your money’s worth out of how big the steak is. Instead of wasting your time buying a big steak from a chain restaurant, you can stop by South Side Yanni’s for a better deal.

The final course is a choice between two desserts: an Oreo-

chocolate mousse or rice pudding.

Richards said that these two desserts are time efficient and a nice way to end your meal, and they definitely are.

Although South Side Yanni’s is not yet the type of restaurant that leaves you with a life-changing culinary experience in tow, there is a homey aspect to the place that gives you a sense of comfort and welcome you can’t find anywhere else. If you’re looking for a familiar place where everyone wants to know your name, look no further than South Side Yanni’s.

building,” said Joel Wetsig, one of Citrea’s managers. “Everything was slow at first but that was to be expected. The first night of Restaurant Week we were absolutely swamped.”

Understandably so — each item on Citrea’s Restaurant Week menu demonstrates the quality of its fresh produce and homemade ingredients in a distinct way. The garden salad was simple and naked, the red wine vinaigrette only detectable in small hints, yet the crisp cucumbers, plump grape tomatoes and pinch of red onions would charm any vegetable enthusiast. On the other hand, the pear salad burst with citrus as the pear slices were certainly marinated in the champagne vinaigrette for quite some time.

(I do wish there were more slices of pear, however). Arugula was an appreciated exchange for the standard lettuce or spinach; its crispness was well complemented by the pine nuts, and the Gorgonzola’s salty bitterness was an accent to be remembered.

According to Vicky, they create a majority of their own sauces — from mustards to jellies — to ensure that

they’re up to their standards. The di funghi pizza has a homemade sauce, too. Valdez showed us how he makes the mushroom puree for a base instead of tomato sauce. Since the pie is topped with additional mushrooms, I feared that their pungent woody flavor would be overpowering. I was happily wrong.

The mushroom’s taste was mild and blended naturally with the earthy Fontina, while the chives supplied a satisfying crunch. The 19 Crimes Red Blend wine found on the menu as a replacement for the dessert was a pleasant pairing; however, I would recommend paying a little extra for the Trivento Malbec found on their wine list.

The Citrea pie was not as impressive. Again, each ingredient popped with freshness, and observing the shrimp freshly cooked on the grill was reassuring. However, the bitter lemon and spicy jalapeño pulled me in opposite directions.

The Dark Horse Chardonnay was paired excellently with every bite into the fleshy shrimp coated with lemon juice.

To not comment on the Citrea staff would be a mistake. The

hostess’ smile and greeting was warm like the restaurant’s yellow motif, and shortly after being seated we were accommodated by swift and receptive service. The awareness and timely consideration of our waitress really wrapped up the entire experience.

Valdez and Alt hope for their establishment to become a frequented upscale casual food and drink location. Their desserts speak to the same vision. The panna cotta was elegantly garnished with juicy chunks of orange and grapefruit that enunciated the creamy dessert. Hints of honey can be enjoyed throughout.

If flan is your go-to, I would not miss out on this citrusy confection, but if weird textures are not your thing, I recommend avoiding it. Citrea’s zeppole dish was a foolproof end to a superb meal. Fried dough coated in cinnamon sugar with Nutella drizzled on top: sounds like a dessert cheat code. Although I would remark that the zeppole themselves would be improved if they were a little more light and airy, I would be lying if I said I was not left in my chair with a grin, a happy stomach and an exceptional first impression.

Citrea Jonathan Ortiz | Staff Writer Tucked away only a few steps off the Court Street bridge overlooking the Chenango River, there blooms a family business with a Mediterranean mindset and the taste to boot. Currently in their soft opening phase, Jimmy Valdez and Vicky Alt operate Citrea Restaurant and Bar as a husband-and-wife team, with Alt’s father, Allen Alt, as a co-owner. Together they composed

a diverse, fresh and delightfully citrusy Restaurant Week menu to promote their unique taste for a grand opening on Thursday, April 9.

Located at 7 Court St., Suite Three, Citrea’s soft opening began on Thursday, March 5 — the restaurant offered free pizza for Binghamton students who lived at Chenango Place. By the time Restaurant Week came around, the owners were greeted by a healthy crowd of intrigued customers.

“The business is definitely

John Babich/Pipe Dream Photographer

Taste of Europe Odeya Pinkus | Assistant Release Editor For someone who often eats a lot of the same foods on campus, Taste of Europe is more a journey than a meal. A “Choose Your Own Adventure” novel, if you will. This premiere choice for your Restaurant Week excursion is located at 440 Court St. Upon pulling into the parking lot, the outside is a bit unassuming, but when you enter, it’s like being transported to somebody’s cozy, yet somewhat lavish living room. A friendly staff will greet you and seat you in the adjoining room. The atmosphere is homey and warm — somewhere between a larger dining room and a hometown diner.

The first course on their Restaurant Week menu is a soup or salad; I ventured for the path of soup. There I was given three options: borscht, lentil and, for

those willing to take a chance, toscana. The toscana soup was something entirely new to me, but was a great starter to my meal. It was hearty meat soup containing sausage, bacon, potato and onion.

If this meal is an adventure, then your menu is a map, and you’ll want to explore it for a while before you decide on an order. You might find that you’ll need some translations, so here is a little handy guide to some of Taste of Europe’s dishes. One of the first things you’ll see on the menu is something called holupki, or stuffed cabbage filled with rice, pork and carrots. Bonoosh is a dish of cornmeal, mushrooms, onions, bacon and feta cheese. For those looking for something closest to meatballs, try the kotletu, or fried chicken and pork patties. Tefteli is another option, consisting of chicken, pork and beef in a mushroom gravy. Lastly on our list of Eastern European delicacies

is plov, or seasoned rice and baby carrots.

Wanting to gain as much of a sense of the menu as I could, I ordered what seemed to be one of the more diverse options. Two holupki, two kotletu and six pierogi. Side note: I’ve grown up eating pierogi. The kind that comes frozen from a box. This experience was entirely different. The waitress presented me with my next choice.

What kind of pierogi did I want?

Potato, cheese, cabbage, blueberry, cherry or apple? “Potato,” I said.

Not my most adventurous choice, but fate had other plans. She told me that I could mix and match my choices, and frankly, I was taken aback with delight. So many of the numerous dinner options here come with pierogi, and if you don’t take advantage of this special dish, you really are missing out.

But back to the holupki — I always just assumed I never liked stuffed cabbage, but I’ve

never had holupki before. It was delicious, and I walked away with a new appreciation for a vegetable I once ignored. The kotletu tasted good, while a bit dry for my taste.

Still the meal altogether was warm, nourishing and filling. If you manage to still have room for desert, try the sweet ptashine moloko cake.

So you’ve reached the end of

your journey, and you’re a better person for it. Traveling to Eastern Europe might be out of reach, but eating at Taste of Europe during Restaurant Week isn’t. If all of this hasn’t convinced you yet, just know that they have garlic knots doused with sauce for the beginning of your meal, and if that doesn’t entice you, I don’t know what will.

Tycho McManus/Managing Editor

8

RELEASE

Water Street Brewing Co. Franz Lino | Photo Editor Nicolas Vega | News Editor

If you’ve ever stepped into 168 Water St., we wouldn’t blame you if you were fooled into thinking you had been transported into a dimension where Binghamton, New York is a thriving middleclass city with a vibrant cultural scene.

Intimately lit — even at 4 p.m. — and playing smooth jazz music, Water Street Brewing Co. certainly gave the impression of a small brewery sticking to its microbrewery principles.

The wait staff was friendly and had us seated right away. The only decision we had to make to begin our meal was if we wanted seafood or if we wanted vegetables.

Franz Lino/Photo Editor

River Bistro Rachel Bluth | Editor-in-Chief Kathryn Shafsky | Release Hotels aren’t just for business lunches and Family Weekend.

River Bistro, which is located in Binghamton’s DoubleTree Hotel, may not be the first spot you consider for Restaurant Week. The restaurant feels upscale without being intimidating. Complete with a bar and lounge just outside the restaurant, River Bistro’s modern look adds a certain charm to your meal. While it’s a fancy restaurant in a fancy hotel, but the well-placed flowers are fake and the napkins are paper, so you won’t feel out of place in jeans.

While the hotel has been around for over 20 years, the interior of the restaurant was updated about two and a half years ago, which is made evident by the restaurant’s chic and

open design. The glass windows don’t let you forget that you’re in a hotel, but hey, at least it’s good for people watching.

According to River Bistro manager Paul Daniels, most students don’t think of River Bistro when considering where to eat.

This was evident by the sparsely filled dining room, which Daniels said may also be attributed to the increased number of restaurants participating in Restaurant Week this year. In addition to having a 60 percent increase in business from a regular week, Daniels views Restaurant Week as a way to connect with the locals.

“We just like being involved, and doing the whole Broome County Southern Tier team spirit thing,” Daniels said. “This is one way for us to get out there with the locals and be a part of that and draw in more of

bupipedream.com | March 27, 2015

The three courses were, confusingly, Mexican — not the American pub food that we were expecting — but nevertheless intriguing. The appetizer, or “Primero,” was a choice between a tempeh ceviche and a scallop ceviche. Whether you selected the Indonesian soybean product or the mollusk, the seasoning was the same: tomatoes, lemon juice and chilies over lettuce.

We chose the scallops, and found that they were certainly tasty. However, the seafood itself was a bit overpowered by the strong flavors of the lemon and chili. The salad leaves were entirely too large for the small bowl in which they were served, and we found ourselves struggling to not spill anything as we cut the lettuce into more manageable pieces.

Along with the first course came any of the six beers they had on tap. We opted for the Hefeweizen, which was both smooth and creamy. A typically

sweet wheat ale, its color was reminiscent of Blue Moon albeit more saturated. The taste too was like a Blue Moon’s, instead with a smoother finish.

We continued onto the “Segundo,” with a plate of carnitas tacos. On the side was a portion of black beans and sazon rice. The pork, which was braised in its own juices and Water Street Brewery’s ale, carried a smokey wood flavor. The cayenne pepper or chili powder dusted over the dish added a nice kick.

The rice and beans were perhaps a little bland. Our recommendation: Take a bite of the taco, a bite of rice and beans and then wash it all down with the Hefeweizen once you’ve swallowed. You could go one step further and turn the taco into a small burrito for further and faster enjoyment. What we couldn’t recommend is eating the rice and beans on their own — frankly if it wasn’t for the chili powder, they wouldn’t really taste

a local crowd.”

The appetizer options included a mushroom bisque and a scallop on a half shell. The bisque, which was complete with a goat cheese crostini, was definitely the better value of the two options. While the scallop and accompanying greens and bacon were delicious, it was ultimately an unsatisfying portion.

For the entrée, we chose the jerk spiced chicken and the gnocchi.

The Restaurant Week menu also offers choices of fish and chips or shepherd’s pie. Both meals were delicious, but the gnocchi wasn’t anything you’ve never had before.

If you like pesto and pasta, you’d do well with this big plate of food.

Don’t let the “jerk” in the jerk chicken scare you. This dish was definitely on the mild side. In fact, we could have used it spicier. This comfort food came on a bed of

black beans, potatoes and plantains, which complemented the chicken perfectly.

Dessert was a choice of either a minted lemon mousse cake or a tiramisu ice cream with almond biscotti. The lemon cake was extremely potent, and is the lesser of the two options unless lemon is really your thing. The tiramisu ice cream was an enjoyable and light way to round off a heavier entrée course, succeeding in both texture (yes, there were lady fingers folded in) and flavor.

Chef Robert Gedman, an import from England, changes the menu seasonally. The Restaurant Week selections are a take on the comfort food that River Bistro serves up during the colder months. They also have a large cocktail selection, and Daniels says the “Employee’s Favorite” cocktail is a crowd pleaser.

like much at all.

Their other main dishes included shrimp tostadas and a vegetarian chimichanga option.

Finally, the “Tercera,” was a traditional Mexican horchata and churro. Our server suggested that we drink the horchata through a cinnamon stick, but it was entirely difficult to really sip it that way. Despite the fact that we are two Spaniards, we had never had horchata before, and we were excited. Unfortunately, we found it to be completely undrinkable.

It was uncomfortably thick and grainy, with a flavor hardly worth the strange texture. The churro didn’t fare any better, slightly burnt and too oily. Of all the courses, the dessert would have benefited the most from another option on the menu.

Still, going two-for-three is a success in baseball, and we were happy with our experience. It was disappointing to open the door to the Binghamton rain and step back into the real world.

Kathryn Shafsky/Release

If you’ve never considered River Bistro, take a walk around the corner from the hour-long wait at the Lost Dog Cafe for a new dining experience that already feels familiar.

Little Venice John Linitz | Design Assistant Just down the road from the hellhole more formally known as the BC Junction sits an establishment that takes you far away from its neighbors. That establishment is the lovely Little Venice Restaurant.

Little Venice, located at 111 Chenango St., is anything but. It’s not only home to fine family-style Italian food, it also houses over 150 signed paintings, so there’s no shortage of things to look at. Think of it as a 19th-century Applebees, but with paintings.

Little Venice prides itself on its traditions. Only six cooks have ever made the “legendary house-made tomato sauce” since the 1940s.

The tomato sauce is available for purchase along with various other

sauces used in the restaurant, and it’s so popular that it can also be purchased throughout New York and Pennsylvania — just use the handy sauce locator on their website.

My waiter, Jack Kuhn, also explained that all of the salad dressings are homemade and said that “people go crazy for the blue cheese.” Little Venice’s cooks put forth the extra effort to have a finished product that would make their ancestors proud. The pasta dough is also made fresh each morning, and it is rolled out specifically for each order.

As an appetizer, I decided on the Little Venice egg roll. I am a huge fan of the original Chinese egg roll, so I knew I couldn’t go wrong with one filled with chicken and cheese, served with a side of alfredo sauce. The Little Venice

Burger Mondays

Kayla Harris | Contributing Writer

Some might consider Burger Mondays, located at 23 Henry St., to be Binghamton’s most revered burger joint. From the classic cheeseburger to the ahi tuna burger, the array of choices make this restaurant appealing to anyone who steps through the front door. Yet while my Mediterranean burger was cooked perfectly, I left feeling like my Restaurant Week experience was still subpar.

Considering the 40-minute

Franz Lino/Photo Editor

Klara Rusinko/Assistant Photo Editor

original did not disappoint — and I could easily eat an entire plate — but another dish unique to the restaurant was being served.

Ravioli with meat logs. No, not meatballs; meat logs. While the logs don’t look as appetizing as the familiar and beloved meatballs, their unique shape

allows the meat to cook evenly.

Little Venice embraces the fact that meat logs are a little strange and even sells “spaghetti and meat logs” merchandise at the front of the restaurant. The raviolis made from scratch were a real treat and were nothing like the frozen box of pierogi to which I’m accustomed.

wait to be seated, the 30-minute wait for my food to arrive, and the numerous empty tables that glared at me while I merely got to stare at a menu next to the front door, you really can’t be surprised. Even though the food was delicious, I left the restaurant with a bad taste in my mouth.

Don’t be completely discouraged, however. If you’re having a craving, the Burger Mondays Restaurant Week menu offers some of their signature dishes, including the Guinness chili, the southern barbecue burger and the chicken club. With

the perfect blend of tomatoes and spices, the Guinness chili should not be overlooked, in addition to the side of crispy, thin-cut fries that accompanies every entrée.

Reasonably priced, the majority of burgers are $12 and range from $9 to $15 across the board. Salads and appetizers range from $4 with the Guinness chili to $9 with either the calamari salad or the Thai chicken salad. Even on a college student’s budget, Burger Mondays is affordable and a great place to dine with friends.

But make sure you eat quickly.

Once that food finally reaches

For dessert, Little Venice offers house-made gelato, cannolis or one of six dessert “shooters.” The waiter brings out a sample of the little dessert cups and explains of what each is composed. The go-to according to my waiter is the tiramisu, but I decided on the Baileys trifle. This decadent dessert was made up of Baileys whipped cream, chocolate sponge cake and rich chocolate. The portion was small yet rich, and paired nicely with my fresh cup of coffee. I would go back to Little Venice for the rest of the desserts alone.

If you’re looking for some house-made Italian tradition, Little Venice will not disappoint.

Try one of their original creations, or really anything made with the famous tomato sauce and pasta dough.

the table, it’s time to eat. Or else, you face the awful predicament of eating a lukewarm burger and mediocre fries. Get it while it’s hot, right?

Burger Mondays definitely has its strong suits. It can provide a good meal at a decent cost, but comes at the price of poor service.

Its atmosphere has a subtle hint of fine dining, yet crossed over with typical lackluster bar food.

Unfortunately, the ups and downs of eating at Burger Mondays might leave you feeling confused rather than satisfied.

9

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March 27, 2015 | bupipedream.com

On the Roxx Bar & Grill Erin Rosenblum | Staff Writer

From the outside, On the Roxx Bar & Grill isn’t much, which could explain how easily it’s overlooked compared to Lost Dog and Number 5. Located at 528 Court St., the humble brick structure has little curb appeal because of its location — it’s in close proximity to two strip clubs and a sex shop.

Hesitantly, I ventured inside and was greeted by the restaurant’s owner, Mary Ruffo-Fish, a lovely Binghamton local whose inviting demeanor began to ease my apprehensions about the restaurant.

Mary led us to the seating area, which is little more than a few wooden tables in a room with barren gray walls and televisions airing lotto drawings. Still, I was intent on giving On the Roxx a chance.

When it came down to order, Mary generously offered me the chance to sample all of the restaurant’s entrées. As I waited for the food, she explained the history of her restaurant.

On the Roxx is very much a family business. The chefs are Mary’s three brothers and her mother inspired the signature drink, the Moscow Mule, a refreshing and whimsical take on an old-school drink served in a mason jar that you get to take home.

For its first seven years as a restaurant, On the Roxx was located Downtown on Court Street. With views overlooking the river, it served a normal clientele of late-night State Street remnants. Three years ago, it moved to its new, more distant Court Street location, and now serves a more steady stream of local professionals. This is On the Roxx’s

Thai Time Ariel Taub| Contributing Writer

Thai Time isn’t exactly obscure among Binghamton’s student body (at 96 Front St., it’s right next to Alpha Sig), but its Restaurant Week menu offers a new side of the restaurant: a simply comforting, welcome atmosphere and homey Thai food.

The brick walls are accented with red trim around the windows, completed with wood tabletops, creating a warm and friendly aura.

The lighting only accentuates the ambiance. There’s also another dining area and a bar downstairs.

All of Thai Time’s Restaurant

Week lunch menu items are $12, and dinner items are $23. The meals include an appetizer, entrée and dessert. Most of the regular menu items are available. All of the entrees, from curry to noodles, can be adjusted for spice strength on a seven-spice scale.

The service was excellent and made the meal all the better. Before we had a chance to look at the menu, our waitress was ready to take our order. The first round of food arrived fast and hot. Before we could get through a fresh, nicely browned, crispy spring roll, the main courses were brought to the table. Though the restaurant was decently crowded, we felt as though we were the only

first time participating in Restaurant Week at the new location.

But back to the food.

The cuisine could be described as American-contemporary, with clear Italian influence. From the homemade gnocchi to the succulent stuffed pork loin, the layers of flavor are complex and the portions substantial.

For an appetizer, On the Roxx offers two options: a caprese salad or bruschetta. The caprese salad, made up of house-made mozzarella, tomatoes and basil leaves and topped with balsamic is the better option of the two.

Deserving of special mention is the stuffed portobello mushroom, which is robust, hearty and artfully balanced in flavor. The smokiness of the mushroom is complemented by the char of the grilled vegetables and finished with high notes of citrus

and a touch of sweetness.

If you’re considering the gnocchi entrée option, which Mary recommends the most of the four, your best bet is the vodka sauce over the other choices of pesto and marinara.

For dessert, a homemade bread pudding is featured. It’s delightfully thick and fits in seamlessly with the

table being waited on. The tofu green curry dish we ordered came out with beef, even though one would think it’s a vegetarian dish. But our waitress apologized profusely when she noticed the mistake. A new dish was soon brought out — the curry and drunken noodles were not unparalleled, but they were very good.

A highlight of the meal was the dessert. The cheesecake spring roll was a treat. Reminiscent of a blintz, a Jewish delicacy, the dessert was hot, fried, crispy, creamy, sweet and paired with vanilla ice cream. I found myself in a Thai restaurant, with a dish in front of me that had obvious Asian influences, yet I was

transported to my grandmother’s kitchen. While being aware of the fact that this was a well-designed, creative dessert that in fact contained cheesecake, I envisioned my grandmother’s overcrowded, buttered pan and a dollop of sour cream when she brought the food to the table. Another dessert on the menu, the chocolate lava cake, is a crowd pleaser, and is a good addition to any menu.

When reflecting on the meal, I remember warm plates, unbuttoned pants and great service. A glass of wine can be substituted for the dessert when ordering, but the dessert is really a treat (if you have room left for it).

Tali Schwartz/Contributing Photographer

rest of the warm comfort food on the menu.

All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by my dining experience.

Through her hearty food and her sweet motherly presence, Mary managed to bring warmth to what initially seemed like a dreary dining experience. I’d go back for the portobello, but I’d stay for the Mary.

Michael Sugarman/Contributing Photographer

Czech Pleeze Evy Pitt-Stoller | Staff Writer Located in the heart of the East Side of Binghamton, Czech Pleeze is a “mom and pop”-type establishment that has been serving up house-made Eastern European food for three years now.

When he found himself unemployed, chef and owner Dan McLarney made the not-so-easy transition from graphic designer to restaurant owner. After grappling with the idea of working a job he didn’t feel would be fulfilling in terms of salary, location or enjoyment, he decided to take nearly everything he had in his pockets and open his own restaurant. Not only would Czech Pleeze allow McLarney to stay in Binghamton with his children and granddaughter, it would also bring him back to a home where he had deep roots.

“I really took a shot at this because I didn’t know what else to do,” McLarney said. “I told myself, at least I’m gonna try.”

Taking “everything [he] grew up with,” McLarney puts his heart, soul and almost all of his time into maintaining Czech Pleeze. He serves up fresh, homemade dishes that were instilled in him by his late mother, who stirred up his affinity for cooking before he had even reached double digits. He and his dear friend Michelle are the only two people behind the scenes at Czech Pleeze; if you find yourself at 223 Robinson St. any time other than Restaurant Week (they

hire extra staff to meet the demands of Restaurant Week customers), you can be assured that your food was cooked and served to you by McLarney and Michelle.

This sense of hard work and homey vibe is evident immediately when you enter Czech Pleeze, and if you somehow miss it, there’s no way it’ll get past you once you taste the pierogi.

Homemade pasta pockets from heaven, pierogi are not the only eastern European treat you’ll get here this week.

Whether you’re in for the $12 lunch special or the $16 dinner special, you’ll get an array of options for house-made appetizers, entrées and desserts (try the maple bacon cupcake!).

Czech Pleeze is known throughout Binghamton for its delectable desserts, often rousing round-the-block lines and sold-out menus within weeks of the start of the holiday season. One of McLarney’s favorite stories, which he shared with a smile, is of a woman who purchased two of the last holiday cookie platters from Czech Pleeze. As she left the restaurant, a man in the parking lot offered double the $90 she paid so that he could take the platters home to his own family. This sort of quality and loyalty is resonant of Czech Pleeze’s delicious taste, and the hearts of its fans.

Whether you just want a quick bite to eat, a feast fit for a king or to look at the pictures on the walls, you should check out Czech Pleeze and get far more than your money’s worth in taste, comfort and atmosphere.

THE 2015 SUNY LEGAL FELLOWSHIP AT ALBANY LAW SCHOOL · SUNY students accepted to Albany Law School will receive guaranteed three year funding · At least $17,000 awarded annually for a total of $51,000 or more

All SUNY graduate or undergraduate students who are accepted for admission to Albany Law School for Fall 2015 will be offered a SUNY Legal fellowship or merit scholarship. Students must apply for, be accepted, and enroll at Albany Law School for Fall 2015 to be eligible.

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The law school in New York’s capital www.albanylaw.edu/SUNYFellowship Klara Rusinko/Assistant Photo Editor

10

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bupipedream.com | March 27, 2015

Emily Earl/Pipe Dream Photographer

The Shop Carla Sinclair | Assistant News Editor For those who are mourning the closing of Brewed Awakenings and are looking for a place to kick back and grab a latte, remember that when one door closes another opens.

That new door is The Shop.

The Shop officially opened for business at 219 Washington St. this week, just in time to show Restaurant Week-ers its trendy, loftstyle decor and super hipster cuisine — seriously, I couldn’t pronounce half of the things on the menu, and the ones I could proudly touted “Made in Brooklyn.”

A bar, cafe, lounge and restaurant rolled all into one, The Shop is the brainchild of two vaguely Europeansounding 30-somethings who prefer to remain nameless in print because

they “don’t want it to be about our story, we want it to be about the story of The Shop.” Okay.

“The Shop is a place for the people who want to chill here,” said one of the owners. “It’s an environment to do your schoolwork, write your articles or whatever you need. It’s not home, it’s not work, it’s your third place to be.”

Walking in, my date and I were greeted by a gorgeous man-bunned waiter (so hipster, I told you) who brought us to our candlelit table next to the exposed brick wall and handed us our menus. For $18, we were offered a drink, a savory plate and a crepe to polish it off. Sipping on a pint from Brooklyn Brewery, I tried the smoked pork charcuterie, manchego, baguette and red pepper eggplant whip, which in layman’s English means salami, cheese,

Uncle Tony's James Sereno | Staff Writer

Most students are familiar with the more common establishments located on State Street, where dreams come true as long as you pay a cover charge. When stumbling from bar to bar, most

pass by a safe haven in a sea of madness. This haven is Uncle Tony’s.

Uncle Tony’s, located at 79 State St. (next to Dillingers), has been open since 1983, long before Dillingers and JT’s claimed college crowds. Walking in, the atmosphere was welcoming. There’s a bar in

Michael Contegni/Pipe Dream Staff Photographer

YOUR SUMMER AT

NEW SPEND

bread and … eggplant whip. My date had a similar meal, though hers was pork and a different kind of fancy cheese; both were delicious and not something I’ve seen in a Binghamton eatery before. The eggplant whip was light and peppery and complemented the smoked meat, which tasted like they had just pulled it off the smoke-pit, or whatever it’s made on.

For dessert, I got a lemon sugar crepe that filled the large plate entirely, and had an aesthetically and palate-pleasing honey whipped cream adorning the side. The crepe was tangy, sweet and creamy all at once: I was really impressed. My date, who had gotten the berry compote, didn’t even offer me a bite as she ate it with a look of pure euphoria on her face. So I’d say to skip that sketchy looking “Crepe Heaven”

next to Nirchi’s on Main Street and check out The Shop instead.

After eating (and ogling the waiter a bit more), we walked to the back to check out the lounge area: leather seats and tables for work, chatting or the like. A graffitistyle mural depicting the Astoria N train station in Queens filled a wall, a tribute to the neighborhood

where the owners once lived. Their travels across Europe and America had inspired their decor, they said, and had a huge influence upon the decor and vibe of the place, saying they melded all their experiences to create a place that they would also “want to be.”

A place I’d suggest you want to be, too.

the middle, as well as seating in the back and front of the restaurant.

Each section has televisions with different stations playing. Along the walls are different bar signs and a nice mural of New York City in the back.

For music, the restaurant uses the Rockbot app. Rockbot plays a constant stream of music while patrons who have the app on their phone are able to choose the music that comes on at the venue. Many people will recognize this as the app that controls music in the Marketplace.

For dinner, the $20 threecourse menu was not what you’d expect from a State Street establishment — in a good way.

The soup of the day, a creamy ham and potato soup, was a delicious way to start warming up from the Binghamton rain.

The three different entrées

included a salmon filet, a grilled sirloin and a homemade cheese ravioli dish by the owner’s own mother. I went for mom’s cooking.

The cheese ravioli with meatballs and garlic bread was delicious and a good size portion for a Restaurant Week entrée.

One of the most appealing parts of Uncle Tony’s $20 Restaurant Week deal is that they let you substitute one of the courses for a glass of wine or a bottle of beer.

The soup and entrée were so filling that a beer would be a cost-effective substitute for the dessert.

Under new management, this is Uncle Tony’s first venture into Restaurant Week. So far, it seems to have been a success. Current owner Bryan Whiting had worked at Uncle Tony’s for 12 years before he, along with his brother Brent and sister Tracy, purchased the bar from the 70-year-old Tony at the

time of his retirement. Although the cheese ravioli dish had been homemade by Bryan’s mother, he credits his head chef, who has worked there for 30 years, for the rest of the delicious courses.

The service was beyond satisfactory and the waitress and owner were very kind. You will definitely have a different feel here than at any of the other State Street establishments; like we said before, that’s the beauty of it. Whether it’s to catch a quick dinner before a Binghamton Senators game, grab drinks for happy hour or get a nice lunch on your break from work, Uncle Tony’s website says it best: It “the perfect place for friends to meet up.”

So while Tom and Marty deal with their hangover, leaving their doors closed until the nighttime, walk down the street to Uncle Tony’s and you won’t regret it.

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11

FUN

March 27, 2015 | bupipedream.com

RELEASE DATE– Friday, April 10, 2009

Fun.

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

Where's Harvey

TFP

ACROSS 1 What’s up?

4 It may be split at lunch 10 Big name in shoes 14 Sine __ non 15 “L.A. Law” co-creator 16 Mishmash 17 Young __ 18 Sightseeing at The Steppes?

20 Medical suffix 22 Paid player 23 Stand at attention 24 Dogs’ communication systems?

27 Wall St. trader 28 Final: Abbr.

29 Close-at-hand 33 Point of view 36 Cádiz cat 38 ’50s campaign monogram 39 Creative executive compensation techniques?

43 Stowe girl 44 Hurt 45 Healthy-looking 46 Cow country sights 49 Crooner’s asset 50 Soft & __: deodorant 51 Price of the village green?

57 Increasing 60 Certain presentee 61 Old Mercury model 62 Ones who never know what to use for their salad?

65 Cool air feature 66 Swing era bandleader Cates 67 Egyptian god 68 Windy City “L” runner 69 Steamy 70 __ à trois 71 Angry, with “up” DOWN 1 Witticism 2 “Roots” hero 3 Co-Nobelist Arafat

Einstein

anytime

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4 “Very funny” station 5 Family-style Asian dish 6 American Greetings “mailing” 7 Severe pang 8 Disgusted cry 9 Soft spots 10 Haydn contemporary 11 Medical office accessory 12 Isn’t wrong?

13 Canceled 19 Literary miscellanea 21 Move stealthily 25 Pitch indicator 26 Nonviolent protest 30 Nice way to beg off?

31 Like Gen. Schwarzkopf 32 Swedish actress Persson 33 Imitator 34 St. Petersburg’s river 35 Formula One race 36 Get

37 Chartres chum 40 “‘I __ you liked your drink,’ sez Gunga Din” 41 Attractive force: Abbr.

42 Kind of comprehension 47 “Holy cow!”

48 Rear 49 “La Dolce Vita” actress 52 Pitch specialists?

53 Madrid monarch 54 “Mulholland Drive” director 55 Get together 56 Political outcast 57 Sci-fi hoverers 58 Castel Gandolfo resident 59 Largest of the Marianas 63 Fr. title 64 MS. enclosure

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

xwordeditor@aol.com

By Nora Pearlstone (c)2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

04/10/09

04/10/09

OPINION Friday, March 27, 2015

Anxiety is not easily treated

Do not tell those who suffer to simply relax or calm down Lauren Young

Contributing Columnist

Dropped Mic, Dropped Ball

O

n Wednesday evening, President Harvey Stenger met with students and faculty in the Mandela Room at an open town hall meeting organized by the activist group Students for Change.

As many students are aware, the meeting ended with the president dropping his microphone on the floor and exiting the room. His exit was inappropriate, and what came before disappoints us even more.

Students for Change released its list of demands in late December.

They have been rallying, protesting and meeting with administrators — ranging from Chief Diversity Officer Valerie Hampton to Vice President for Student Affairs Brian Rose — since the end of last semester. After months of work, it’s baffling that President Stenger agreed to address concerns in public with apparently no preparation, and unwilling to discuss any progress he’s made.

One of the greatest frustrations of the night was how frequently the president responded to questions with, “I don’t know,” or “People are working on that.” He came with a disturbing lack of real answers on matters of policy.

Students pressed Stenger for a timetable on the administration’s progress on the demands. He explained that he’d delegated the demands among specific administrators. There is nothing wrong with organizing the demands this way, but Stenger did not provide any summaries on these administrators’ progress.

Stenger has repeatedly expressed the utmost confidence in the team of administrators that he

has assigned to research each and every one of the demands put forth

by Students for Change. He was confident in their qualifications and character.

But that begs the question: Why did this team of experts — who have been researching these issues of institutionalized racism and discrimination for the past five months — not prepare the president with answers to the same questions that have been asked at previous meetings? He didn’t seem prepared to discuss the substantial, nuanced policy and legal issues about which attendees asked him.

The two options that seem possible are that his staff did not prepare him, or that he chose not to discuss the material with which his staff prepared him. Both are damning. It is not Stenger’s job to solve all of these problems himself, but it is also not the job of the students to go to tens of administrators individually to find answers. This meeting could have been an opportunity for Stenger to speak with all of his colleagues and bring students progress reports on each initiative.

To his credit, Stenger endured nearly two hours of intensive, often contradictory and, frequently, hostile questioning. This is to be expected. Students for Change and its supporters are not a singular voice and at times presented differing visions for how

the president could address the group’s demands. One professor in support of Students for Change condemned the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) as a means of excusing the rest of the administration from their duty to respond to the concerns of students of color. Another questioner argued that students should not have to jump from administrator to administrator with their concerns.

When pressed on the duties of the ODEI, Stenger gave conflicting information. He referred to ODEI as a possible outlet for student grievances, but later said it wasn’t created for that purpose. At any rate, ODEI seems to have taken on the mandate of hearing student grievances instead of directing students to the Dean of Students office. Clearly, students are having problems with this office, given the numerous anecdotes of being patronized or dismissed. Something here needs to change, and if it isn’t going to be the personnel, it needs to be in mandate and goals of this office. If administrators are not able to properly deal with students, they shouldn’t even be trying to give counsel or advice.

As the meeting progressed, questions became less informative and more combative. Students told Stenger he should feel intimidated.

In the same way the president came unprepared, some questions presented by Students for Change

revealed a lack of research. On more than one occasion, students presented inaccurate statistics or asked Stenger to make changes that are simply illegal or outside of his jurisdiction. Had his answers been more helpful at the beginning, things may have not gotten so heated at the end.

With so many concerns, there was no way for Stenger to satisfy everyone in the room. He made some points that many of us can stand by. He argued for a change to the Code of Student Conduct to institute consequences for those who make racist or homophobic remarks. But there are a few key items he did not present. He did not bring a timetable. He did not present the progress made by his team. He did not give a definitive date for the release of the year-old campus climate survey.

Clearly, Harvey Stenger has the best interests of students in mind. In his initial statement, he expressed his commitment to work with students to stop racism and homophobia and increase diversity on this campus. But Stenger and other administrators must make their efforts to do so more transparent. That way, more students will take them seriously and learn to trust the administration. Until then, equally unproductive conversations will continue and progress will remain out of reach.

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.

At 13 years old, I was afraid to touch floors, door knobs, bus seats or even walk into a room without feeling contaminated and having to compulsively wash my hands until I felt the fear had rinsed off.

Anxiety has always been a major part of my existence, and although it’s not something I take pride in announcing, it usually speaks for itself. “You need to relax; just don’t think about it,” would be easier to hear if it were that easy. But neurochemically, I can’t. From the obsessive counting, worrying, muscle tics, the double, triple and then quadruple checking, anyone with an anxiety disorder can promise you: We honestly can’t just “calm down.”

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting nearly 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, which is about 18 percent of the population. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), a type of anxiety disorder that is also considered its own condition, occurs in about 2.2 million in the U.S., equating to about 1 percent of the population. On the most basic neurological level, the amygdala, a brain structure associated with triggering our fear reactions, plays a central role in anxiety disorders. Those who tend to be more anxious have been observed to have larger than average amygdalae.

For people with anxiety disorders, the anxiety manifests as an itch we need to scratch, and maybe if we scratch it, it’ll go away. The problem is that it never does. For OCD, there are quirks, but then there are compulsions.

Sometimes I won’t realize I’m ripping my hair unless someone

who’s been watching me do it for the past 20 minutes points it out.

Typically, when others hear about obsessions they think about lining up colored pencils and not the reality of “If I don’t close this door seven times then my dog will die” ranging to “I’m afraid that I’m going to accidentally kill my dog.” It’s desperately seeking control of your own life by letting your anxiety control it for you.

The “anxiety” buzzword has been diluted down to a catchphrase. The moment I bring up my excessive worrying everyone else has already ordered a season pass to join the OCD club because, hey, everyone has anxiety, right? Empty reminders to just “chill out” and “stop worrying so much” are tossed around as passive-aggressive punchlines because others fail to realize my anxiety doesn’t take vacations.

Telling someone “It’s all in your head” is only stating the obvious. Of course it’s in my head; where else would it be? I’m fully aware that checking, and rechecking, and re-checking and … checking again to see if my coffee cup is across the room from my laptop because if not my room will set fire isn’t rational thinking, but there’s no use in reminding me that. No one who performs ritualistic compulsions will be miraculously cured when you remind them of how silly it is. The problem is that we already know.

I don’t expect others to put up with what I have to, and that’s why I understand that when I have to repeat “I’m sorry” 11 times until it sounds right, most people stop listening. “Calm down” is simply an empty phrase that comes from mouths that don’t speak the language of anxiety. I’ll never know how it feels to live without generalized anxiety, but I can live without the constant reminders from others about how to deal with it.

— Lauren Young is a sophomore majoring in philosophy and psychology

Clinton's silence on education reform is politically motivated

With no challengers, Hillary Clinton enjoys support of teacher's union and wealthy donors David Forrest

Columnist

During her tenure as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton certainly made headlines. However, despite all of the negative publicity she may have attracted, she did not have to take a position on divisive domestic issues. Now that she is back in the spotlight of presidential politics, all that is about to change.

Once she officially announces

her candidacy, Clinton will be forced to take a position on the issues that she was able to ignore as secretary of state. While the political spectrum is full of divisive issues, most can be solved in one of two ways, providing Democrats and Republicans with relatively “safe” positions for them to take.

However, education reform is not a bivariate issue and therefore does not provide politicians with such a luxury.

Although nearly all Americans agree that our public education system must be reformed, there is widespread disagreement on how to

accomplish the desperately needed changes. Seemingly everyone, from parents to teachers to the unions, has a plan to solve America’s education crisis.

The problem for Clinton is that, as the presumptive leading Democratic candidate, she needs the support of the entire Democratic Party’s base in order to mount a successful campaign. This places her in the undesirable position of being squeezed between the two sides of education reform: the teachers’ unions, and the wealthy democratic donors. The teachers’ unions, whose support Clinton

enjoyed during her last presidential run, act as an opposing force to the wealthy donors who support charter schools and changes to teachers’ tenure policies. The problem for Clinton is that she needs both the support of the teachers’ unions and wealthy donors.

Faced with the imminent political danger of alienating a key constituency, Clinton has chosen to take the opposite approach of her likely Republican opponent Jeb Bush, who has publicly supported the Common Core. Instead, Clinton has not articulated any position.

The politically savvy decision

to delay her announcement for as long as she can allows her to maintain the political and monetary support of both sides of the argument on education reform.

With little serious competition in the Democratic Party primary forcing her to make a decision quickly, Clinton likely has plenty of time to maneuver before arriving at a final decision.

By choosing to upset no one, Clinton has essentially chosen to maintain the status quo in American education, which is a fate our country cannot afford. Our education system has long been

underfunded and unprepared to properly educate America’s youth.

It must be overhauled drastically in order to ensure that America is competitive in the 21st century global economy. The longer we wait to reform our education system, the farther we will fall behind our European counterparts. Our politicians must understand that shortsighted political gains are not worth our country’s future.

— David Forrest is a senior majoring in political science

University English department requires more structure and rigor Lack of prerequisites and intellectually challenging classes puts students at disadvantage Anita Raychawdhuri

Columnist

I am now over halfway through my fourth semester as an English major at Binghamton University, and I can’t help but feel a little frustrated, a feeling I know many of my fellow English major friends share. The English major at BU is unstructured. There are hardly any prerequisites for classes and it’s quite flexible. Because of this, I am almost finished with my major in my second year, which, economically, is great, yet I can’t

help feeling as if I’ve been missing out on my English education at BU. The stereotype of the English major is somebody who is “taking the easy way out” by writing a few papers and analyzing a passage any way they feel. Studying English doesn’t have to be this way. English can be challenging. It can involve complex arguments about what a text reveals about us or the world.

It can involve an interesting discussion on semantics, or a talk about historical context and what we can learn from it. BU fails to provide English students with that experience.

I don’t want to completely bash the department. Flexibility in a

major is good, but without any structure, classes fall short. I’ve had a few amazing professors who were really engaging and push their students. Others, while certainly knowledgeable, act as if they’ve given up or couldn’t care less about our critical thinking skills which are supposed to be the foundation of an English major’s expertise.

To give a specific example, I took Intro to Theory/Criticism last semester. I couldn’t help but feel frustrated that this class wasn’t a prerequisite for upper-level classes.

What is the point of learning about Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida if no other professor or students include theory in our critical discussions of texts? It

makes theory class feel like isolated knowledge, rather than something that we are encouraged to apply in other classes. I know we as students can do this independently, but if theory were essential, students would be more likely to incorporate it into discussions. Students could learn on an equal playing field.

Beyond this, the department needs to stop catering to popular interest with classes that simply sound fun. I’m frustrated that I can easily take a class on gaming, zombies or children’s literature, but struggle to find a class that reads James Joyce or T.S. Eliot.

In my years at BU, I’ve read more challenging works on my own time. Students could benefit from

a more solid foundation in English that shows through the classes on their transcript.

The professors and students are less to blame than the structure of the department. A more rigorous program could weed out people studying English because “it’s easy” or because they’re unsure what else to take, leaving it to students that actually care about literature. It could also give students the necessary tools to properly discuss texts. We have some great professors and great students. Make English a major that reflects that.

— Anita Raychawdhuri is a sophomore majoring in English

The department needs to stop catering to popular interest with classes that simply sound fun

SPORTS

March 27, 2015 | bupipedream.com

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BU fails to deliver with runners on base, falls to Bucknell Binghamton uses eight pitchers, connects for just six hits in 6-2 road loss to Bison

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NUMBERS BU BASEBALL GAMES CANCELLED SO FAR THIS SEASON OF THE 19 SCHEDULED.

25 GAMES SINCE THE MEN’S LACROSSE TEAM FINISHED WITH FIVE GOALS OR FEWER.

Franz Lino/Photo Editor

Senior outfielder Jake Thomas drove in and scored a run in BU’s loss at Bucknell on Tuesday.

Brett Malamud Pipe Dream Sports

In its first contest since March 16 after a series of postponements, the Binghamton baseball team headed back into action only to take a 6-2 loss at Bucknell.

After having their series against Villanova canceled last weekend due to inclement weather, the Bearcats (4-9, 1-2 America East) sent eight pitchers to the mound in Tuesday’s contest in an effort to keep their arms fresh before conference play heats up.

“We didn’t throw any of our starters,” Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki said. “[The starters] threw bullpens over the weekend and inside during practice. Those guys that we use out of the bullpen

needed to get some innings.”

After redshirt freshman Jacob Wloczewski pitched a scoreless first for BU, freshman Matt Gordon took to the mound for only 1/3 inning before surrendering four runs off of three hits to the Bison (14-7) for his first loss of the season.

However, down by 4-0 to start the fourth, the Bearcats pieced together a response. Senior outfielder Jake Thomas opened up the inning with a walk and junior infielder Reed Gamache then singled up the middle. Two batters later, sophomore catcher Eddie Posavec delivered an RBI single to bring in Thomas, effectively cutting the deficit to 4-1.

In the sixth, the Bison plated another run, extending their lead to 5-1. But Binghamton matched

Bucknell in the seventh as Thomas drove in senior first baseman Brian Ruby to push the score, 5-2.

Even though it evened out the scoreboard, Ruby’s run wasn’t enough for Binghamton. The Bison put away an additional insurance run in the eighth to seal the final score, 6-2, in their favor.

For BU, the team’s downfall came through its inability to bring home its base runners. Appearing out of sync, the Bearcats connected for just two hits in 12 opportunities with runners in scoring position and left 10 men stranded.

“It’s very hard with the way the weather has affected us this year to get any kind of rhythm,” Sinicki said. “This time of year, our hitters need to see as many live pitches as they can possibly see and that only comes with playing.”

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BU resumes America East play this weekend at UMBC. But for the Bearcats to find their groove going forward, they plan on focusing on their own play before that of their opponent.

“We don’t worry about who we play,” Sinicki said. “We just have to do the things we do to the best of our ability. We have to be a little more consistent in all three phases: offense, defense and pitching. If we do, I think we’ll have a shot at winning this weekend.”

BU is set to open play at UMBC with a single game on Saturday beginning at 4:30 p.m. Sunday’s double-header is slated for 1 p.m. with the following game starting immediately after. All games will be held at The Baseball Factory Field at UMBC in Catonsville, Maryland.

.404

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PITCHERS USED IN BINGHAMTON’S 6-2 LOSS AT BUCKNELL ON TUESDAY.

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TOTAL POINTS RECORDED ON THE SEASON BY MEN’S LACROSSE’S SENIOR ATTACK TUCKER NELSON.

.404 — CURRENT BATTING AVERAGE OF SOFTBALL’S JUNIOR CATCHER LISA CADOGAN, WHICH PACES BU STARTERS.

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CONSECUTIVE LOSSES BY THE MEN’S TENNIS TEAM.

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BASEBALL

Bearcats struggle to score in 6-2 loss at Bucknell See page 13 Friday, March 27, 2015

Bearcats fall, 9-5, to Drexel in third straight loss Despite Gilroy's two goals, Binghamton offense struggles against strong Dragons backline Jeff Twitty

Assistant Sports Editor Coming off a heartbreaking last-minute loss to No. 18 Towson on Saturday, the Binghamton men’s lacrosse team had little time to recoup heading into its matchup against Drexel on Tuesday. That short turnaround time lent itself to a season-high 17 turnovers en route to a 9-5 loss for the Bearcats (2-5, 1-0 America East), who were unable to escape the fire of the Dragons (4-5) defense.

“We did a poor job with the ball on offense, turning the ball over and giving [Drexel] a lot of opportunities,” BU head coach Scott Nelson said.

The game didn’t begin poorly for the BU offense, however.

Redshirt freshman attack Sean Gilroy opened scoring for Binghamton on his second shot of the day, putting his team on top, 1-0, early in the first.

Following Gilroy’s goal, the two squads traded shot chances until freshman midfielder Michael Kay put Drexel on the board, evening the tally at one. Binghamton fired two more missed shots in the quarter’s remaining minutes to end the first with the edge in shots, 7-6. But five turnovers by BU in the quarter kept its goal total to only one at the end of the first 15.

“This was our worst day turnover-wise, I think, and that was very disappointing,” Nelson said. “We’re not a team that turns the ball over that much and we did. So we kept giving them opportunity after opportunity to score, and they certainly capitalized on it.”

They did so quickly, too. The Dragon offense caught fire in the opening minutes of the second, turning the contest from a 1-1 defensive stalemate to a 4-1 Drexel lead less than five minutes into play. Senior attack Paul O’Donnell and junior attack Zach Scaduto cut the margin to 4-3, putting the Bearcats within striking distance late in the first half. But in the closing minutes of the quarter, Drexel netted one more to push its lead to 5-3 as the teams headed into the break.

Bringing in the third quarter with a one-minute tripping penalty, the Bearcats allowed

Emily Earl/Pipe Dream Photographer

Redshirt freshman attack Sean Gilroy scored a team-high two goals for BU in its 9-5 loss at Drexel.

their second man-down goal of the contest just over one minute into the half. Now trailing by three on the road, BU’s offense went to work, as Gilroy buried his second of the day off of an unassisted chance. After a response goal by the Dragons, sophomore midfielder Tyler Deluca scored Binghamton’s fifth of the matchup to end scoring in the third with BU down, 7-5.

Poised for a comeback — despite facing a 34-19 shot deficit — the cards were stacked for the Bearcats at the start of the fourth. Winning the opening faceoff of the quarter, the twominute possession by Binghamton included a pair of shots and a

one-minute man-up opportunity after an unnecessary roughness call on the hosts. But the Bearcats were unable to turn opportunities into points. Following the first possession, the BU offense turned the ball over three consecutive times to strip itself of looks.

“We just had too many turnovers,” Nelson said. “Where we wanted to get a shot, we’d just turn the ball over and give it right back to them. It’s just too much pressure on the defense.”

The Bearcats lost a player of their own because of a one-minute cross-check penalty midway through the stanza. But BU was only down a man for 36 seconds before the Dragons scored their

third man-advantage goal of the game. The following Drexel possession pushed the lead for Drexel, 9-5, with less than six minutes remaining to play.

With AE play revving up for the Bearcats against Hartford on Saturday, Nelson is looking for his players — both young and old — to rise to the occasion after a streak of tough non-conference losses.

“We’re trying to get our seniors to produce, and they’ve got to understand that,” Nelson said.

“They’re the leaders of the team.”

BU is set to face off against Hartford at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

BU @ DREXEL

L 9-5

In first spring tournament, Bearcats finish 26th out of 30 competitors After poor second day at Middleburg Intercollegiate, Binghamton improves in third round Ashley Purdy Sports Editor

Opening its spring season at the Middleburg Bank Intercollegiate hosted by William & Mary, the Binghamton golf team finished 26th in a field of 30 teams after a rough second round

dropped the Bearcats from the top half of competition. Finishing on top was Radford University, which swung below 300 each day and finished with a mark of 859.

Despite BU’s low finish, play on the River Course at Kingsmill Resort was beneficial for the Bearcats, who haven’t been able to get a swing in the outdoors

since their last trip down south two weeks ago. The three-day outing in Williamsburg, Virginia may have exposed a bit of rust on Binghamton’s clubs, but for a team looking to impress in conference — Binghamton was picked to finish seventh out of eight teams in conference play — that will help in moving forward.

“It was a positive event for us,” Binghamton head coach Bernie Herceg said. “I know the second round we struggled and it kind of hurt us, but in the big frame of things, we were outside, we had some guys have some good rounds and had some good things we can build off of.”

Binghamton came out strong

in the first round on Sunday, with senior captain Josh Holling leading the pack with 71 (+1) strokes. Fellow captain Jack Sedgewick finished the 54-hole course with just one extra swing, 72 (+2) to help keep the Bearcats above water. The five-man squad finished the day with a score of 299, good for 14th.

Come Monday, however, the team’s efficacy dipped. In the second round, the Bearcats saw a reversal of fortune, with sophomore Kyle Wambold and junior Jesse Perkins — both of whom struggled the day before — finishing with 79 apiece. But their improvements were insufficient to carry the team, which finished with 26 more strokes than the day before, at 325.

“Some of the second round had to do with a little rust on the guys’ swings, and I think we chalked it up and it was just a bad round early in the year,” Herceg said.

On the third day, the Bearcats put up their best outing.

Sedgewick and sophomore Sameer Kalia finished the course on Tuesday with 73 (+3) strokes and Holling and Wambold scored close behind, with 75. Behind — Bernie Herceg those performances, Binghamton BU head coach hit 296, lending to their final score of 920.

Though there was a bit of variety in the days’ outcomes,

I'm hoping our last round gave us a look of what's in store for us going into the other events, where we can get some consistency Photo Provided by BU Athletics

Sophomore Sameer Kalia paced BU at the Middleburg Bank Intercollegiate, finishing with a total score of 230 in the 54-hole tournament.

Herceg hopes that’s just the result of some early-season warming up, and that the team will buckle down in the weeks to come.

“There’s no doubt one of my big objectives this spring going into conference is to get the consistency, where we have four consistent scorers,” Herceg said.

“And that was definitely a lot better in the last round … I’m hoping our last round gave us a look of what’s in store for us going into the other events, where we can get some consistency.”

A positive indicator for such growth was Binghamton’s internal improvements on a personal scale. Kalia, Holling, Sedgewick and Wambold all closed out the event ranked higher than they scaled on the first day. Kalia finished the intercollegiate in a six-way tie for 90th out of 159 golfers, with a team-high 230 (+20) strokes.

Holling followed one behind, in a five-way tie for 96th on just one more stroke. Sedgewick’s 232 mark placed him in a five-way tie for 101st and Wambold’s 235 placed him in a five-way tie for 121st.

Next up for the Bearcats is an early week trip to Malvern, Pennsylvania, where the team will participate in the Wildcat Invitational. The two-day event, hosted by Villanova, begins on Monday, March 30.