Art Awakens
Students collaborate to make art a part of Research Days
The Truth About
“Cabaret”
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Hinman Production Company stages a musical of pre-Nazi Germany, complete with accents
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The Free Word on Campus Since 1946
Friday, April 24, 2015 | Vol. LXXXVII, Issue 23 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com
A struggle for human rights within the 'hermit kingdom' Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) brings activist, speaker to share plight of isolated country's oppressed citizens Brendan Zarkower Pipe Dream News
Tamar Ashdot-Bari/Pipe Dream Photographer Students look on as 8th Day, a Chasidic band, plays music on the Peace Quad. Hillel at Binghamton University celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut — Israel’s Independence Day — Thursday afternoon and into the evening. The 67th anniversary celebration featured an Israeli marketplace theme, and attendees were offered shawarma, pita, falafel, Israeli salads and Aroma iced coffee, amongst other Middle Eastern dishes.
Campus activism converged with international action Tuesday night as students and “nomads” discussed North Korean politics. Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), a nonprofit organization that helps North Korean refugees reach safety, hosted the event in Lecture Hall to enlighten the Binghamton University campus to the North Korean people’s plight. Will Wisz, a nomad or a traveling speaker with LiNK, gave the presentation to a crowd of a few dozen students. “We want to show you what the North Korean people are really up against,” Wisz said. “There are so many issues surrounding people’s thoughts and perceptions on the country.” The presentation was aimed at shifting the image of North Korea from one of nuclear missiles and dictators to an image of regular people living under an oppressive regime, and emphasized human rights. While some parts of the event had an optimistic tone for change and
Research Days keynote speaker Raj Patel breaks down the price of low cost, poor quality food around the world Staff Writer
Nearly one billion people in the world are undernourished, yet nearly two billion people are overweight. This dichotomy is what Raj Patel shared with an audience of nearly 300 Binghamton University students and faculty members Wednesday night. Patel, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, gave his talk titled “Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System” in the Mandela Room. The event, which was coordinated by the Division of Research, was a part of Research Days, a showcase of research and creative
Sarah Kumar/Contributing Photographer
Raj Patel, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, gives a talk entitled “Stuffed and Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System” on Wednesday night in the Mandela Room. He discussed the recent phenomena of increased hunger with increased food access, which goes against the sustainability movement of the global food system.
work conducted by students and faculty across campus. In his talk, Patel discussed failures of the global food system and places for improvement. “We live in a country where one in two children, at some point in their life, will need federal assistance to be able to fight off hunger,” Patel said. “It doesn’t seem okay to me to be living in a country where that sort of thing happens and not have an understanding about why.” According to Patel, availability of cheap food is part of a cycle of inexpensive labor and standard of living. In order to bring about change and break the cycle, environmental and agricultural factors must be addressed. Increasing wages allows people to buy better quality food, but the only way to convince people to buy better food is to increase the overall standard of living. Patel traced the issues of the modern food system back to the 18th century, when poor workers living in cities needed low-cost food. He discussed Malawi, a country where changing agricultural techniques such as experimenting with different crops and collaboration, as well as shifting ownership dynamics between land owners and workers, has decreased malnutrition. In Malawi, Patel said, men and women were able to create a community where it was possible to talk about the value of nutrition and share successful farming techniques without fear of oppression. “The solution in Malawi is about making sure there is more food and that it gets distributed better,” Patel said. “The solutions on the streets
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See LINK Page 3
Curriculum reform passes Faculty Senate
Through lens of sustainability, a look at the global food system Haley Silverstein
improvement, other parts focused on the brutal nature of the North Korean regime by showing smuggled footage of extremely graphic and violent interactions between the North Korean police and citizens. “They are reminiscent of Nazi concentration camps and Soviet Gulags,” Wisz said. “But they still exist today.” LiNK changed its philosophy in 2008 to focus on helping citizens instead of solely raising awareness. The organization’s activities are divided into three categories: rescue, resettlement and narrative. While the narrative portion involves speaking to students on college campuses and other informational programs, most of the funding is funneled into direct aid for people in the process of fleeing North Korea. LiNK spends about $3,000 per person who it helps escape the Kim regime and have in total rescued about 335 refugees. They intend to rescue another 200 refugees this year. Money is raised by individual contributions,
Admin. plans to expand pluralism class choices, M.A./M.S. programs Gabriella Weick News Intern
Tamar Ashdot-Bari/Pipe Dream Photographer
Explorchestra, the 34-member orchestra meets every Saturday and practices for up to three hours to prepare for performances at numerous events across campus. Founded in 2009, the student-run orchestra performs original student compositions and embraces all genres ranging from rock to jazz to symphonic.
Explorchestra offers campus a symphony of student talent Musicians given opportunity to express themselves through original compositions, regardless of experience Chloe Rehfield Pipe Dream News
Jonathan Zhou looks over pages of sheet music and spends weeks perfecting his original pieces to be performed by Explorchestra, an ensemble composed exclusively of Binghamton University students. Explorchestra was founded in 2009 by three former BU students, James Mayr, Manar Alherech and Maxim Pekarsky, with the goal of giving students an opportunity to explore music outside of the classroom. The group performs only original student compositions and embraces all genres ranging from rock to jazz to symphonic. Any student can join the organization; no auditions or experience are required and all instruments are welcome.
“Part of our goal is to make students feel comfortable playing music with us,” said Charles Miller, the head of public relations for Explorchestra and a senior majoring in computer engineering. “We do this by creating an environment that is more casual than your typical orchestra. Essentially, it is our peers who run the orchestra rather than the University.” The 34-member orchestra meets every Saturday and practices for up to three hours. Students bring their own instruments and lead warm-ups, while conductors organize the ensemble and assign specific parts of a piece to each musician. Musical assignments are catered to the participant’s skill level, but all are encouraged to challenge themselves.
Faculty and guests gathered in Old Union Hall Tuesday afternoon for Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger’s third Faculty Senate meeting of the 2014-2015 academic year. The meeting consisted of an introduction by Stenger, who discussed current events and updates at the University, followed by an agenda report conducted by Faculty Senate Chair Alistair Lees. According to Provost Donald Nieman, the undergraduate curriculum committee began reevaluating the pluralism requirement last fall to ensure its relevance to issues faced by students today. “The pluralism requirement was instituted in 1995, and we haven’t made any changes in it,” Nieman said. “Is it contemporary?” Though the change will not impact students who have already completed their pluralism requirement, the course options will be broadened for fall 2015
See SENATE Page 2
See MUSIC Page 3
BU gets a sample of Islamic culture with calligraphy workshop, fast-a-thon Muslim Student Association aims to raise $1,000 to provide aid for Syrian refugees, educate campus Tania Rahman
Pipe Dream News In an effort to combat negative stereotypes, the Muslim Students Association (MSA) hosted a weeklong series of events to bring a taste of Islamic history and culture to campus. For every day of Islamic Awareness Week, a different activity was designed to relate to an aspect of Islamic ideologies, with the intention of educating non-
Muslims on the religion. Activities included a fast-a-thon, a tournament to aid Islamic refugees and Hijab 101 to discuss why Muslim women wear headscarves. “It’s really important to change this image that is portrayed of Muslims,” said Sarah Khan, the president of the MSA and a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law. “We want to reach out to as many people as possible to bring awareness.” The week began with guest speaker Imam Anas Shaikh from the Islamic Organization of Southern Tier, who
discussed the role of Moses and Jesus in Islam. The MSA, which previously hosted an interfaith Shabbat dinner with BU’s Hillel, believed the lecture was important because Moses intersects both Judaism and Christianity, so non-Muslim participants would be able to relate. According to Khan, the organizers made an effort to make the events informative and appealing to students from all backgrounds. “Last year it was really successful, but mostly Muslims on campus came,” Khan said. “We tried to get ideas from other MSAs
because the whole point of an Awareness Week is to reach out to the non-Muslims on campus.” Tuesday’s fast-a-thon invited students to take part in a daylong fast. Similar to the Muslim practice during the holy month of Ramadan, participants were asked to not eat or drink from dawn until dusk. “You’re not just abstaining yourself from food, but other desires — like lying, cheating and badmouthing,” Khan said.
See MSA Page 2
Franz Lino/Photo Editor
Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger addresses the third Faculty Senate meeting of the 2014-2015 academic year. On Tuesday afternoon, faculty and guests gathered in Old Union Hall where they discussed current events and updates regarding BU.
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Messages of support line the Spine
All faiths introduced to Islamic ideologies
REACH speaks out for those affected by violence with Clothesline Project
MSA continued from Page 1
Stacey Schimmel
“You’re trying to exercise patience throughout the day.” Michelle Wen, one of 20 non-Muslim fast participants and a sophomore majoring in neuroscience, said she did not anticipate how hard fasting would be. “I thought it would be any regular day, I usually wait till dinnertime to eat but I didn’t factor in the drinking water part,” Wen said. “There was this dust in your throat and you can’t get rid of it.” Other events included an Arabic calligraphy workshop on Wednesday, and on Thursday, female participants were encouraged to don a hijab, or headscarf, for the entire day and then share their experience during
Staff Writer
Every 1-2 minutes, a woman is raped. Before the age of 18, one in four girls and one in five boys will be victims of incest or sexual assault. The Clothesline Project is trying to change that. The Clothesline Project is a worldwide project that was first started in 1990 by a group of women who hung laundry with messages combating violence against women, men and members of the LGBTQ community. Today, over 500 clotheslines have been hung internationally. On Tuesday, Real Education About College Health (REACH) gave students the opportunity to hang T-shirts on three clotheslines throughout the Spine to commemorate those affected by violence. The color of each shirt represented different types of violence, including rape, incest and discrimination due to sexual orientation or political affiliation. T-shirts had messages such as “It took so many years for me to be this happy. It took only a rape to take it all away,” or, “Don’t stay a victim; find support and speak out.” Amber Ingalls, a Decker health educator and Clothesline organizer, said that this year she decided to make the clothesline more like a memorial, unlike previous years’ tabling events.
Klara Rusinko/Assistant Photo Editor
Students hung T-shirts on clotheslines along the Spine as part of the Clothesline Project, an event to commemorate those victimized or lost to violence, on Tuesday. Each shirt color represented different types of violence or abuse, including rape, incest and discrimination due to political affiliations or sexual orientation.
“It’s a visual,” Ingalls said. “It’s looking at messages of people who were affected, whether they’re survivors or friends of people directly impacted.” According to Samantha Brown, a REACH intern and freshman majoring in human development, society’s apprehension to discuss violence shows how important the issue is. “People don’t understand and they don’t feel comfortable so we don’t talk about it, and then it keeps happening,” Brown said. “All these T-shirts — this is nowhere near the number of women and men that are abused every single year, absolutely nowhere close.” She said the shirts displayed were a combination of those created this year and in years past. Participants were able to get free shirts from Ingalls’ office or, new to this year, write on paper shaped like T-shirts and pin them to the lines at the event. Approximately — Megan Tedford 30 shirts and 75 paper T-shirts BU senior from this year and about 75 shirts gathered from past years were displayed, Ingalls said.
You never notice when you look at someone what they went through
Another new aspect was the use of different computerized sounds — gong to represent those battered, a whistle for those victimized by sexual assault or rape and a bell for those murdered — that played as frequently as each act of violence is committed. Kyrie Kirn, an organizer of the event and a second-year graduate student studying student affairs, said she thought the clothesline raised awareness effectively on a busy school day. “They might not take the time to stop and read every T-shirt,” she said. “But they’re going to walk past it and see that one says ‘No Means No’ or ‘It’s Not Your Fault’ and then maybe they’ll take some time to read some of the other ones.” Megan Tedford, a senior majoring in psychology, said that she immediately noticed the shirts, and they reminded her that violence is not always obvious. “It can happen to anyone and it happens more than you think,” she said. “You never know when you look at someone what they went through.”
bupipedream.com | April 24, 2015
a Hijab 101 panel, in which a group of women who wore the headscarf spoke about their experiences. “It’s more a concept of modesty,” Khan said. “We wanted to dispel ideas of oppression.” The week will end with a “Hoops for Syria” basketball tournament, with part of the proceeds going to support Syrian refugees and part to the winners, and a dinner banquet on Saturday evening. Khan said the organization hopes to raise $1,000. Karen Ouyang, a senior majoring in mathematics, said the week’s events enabled students to gain an understanding of the faith to which not everyone has exposure. “I feel like people who follow religion are more resilient to adversity,” Ouyang said. “They can always fall to a god for troubles.”
You're not just abstaining yourself from food, but other desires— like lying, cheating and badmouthing — Sarah Khan BU senior
Pluralism req. to include gender, religion SENATE continued from Page 1 with additions that will focus on a larger variety of groups and identities. “In looking at it, they said it deals with categories of race and ethnicity in the United States, but not issues with gender, gender identity, religion,” Nieman explained. “And we should broaden it to do that.” This proposal, along with three others presented to the Faculty Senate, was passed without objection. Other approved proposals included a proposal to adopt and implement New York’s Eight Keys to Veterans’ Success to provide an accommodating environment for veteran students, a proposal to change policies in the faculty handbook regarding department chairs’ roles in their own personnel cases and a proposal for a new master’s degree in sustainable communities by fall 2016. According to Lees, the new master’s program that was passed consists of an M.A./M.S.
in sustainable communities. The degree would be a combination of geography, administration and environmental studies, and will be housed in the graduate school. The idea for the new degree had been in the works for over five years as a way to add sustainability to the graduate level, since there are already similar undergraduate courses. BU is one of the first graduate schools offering this degree, according to Nieman. “It’s not just environmental sustainability but it looks at the social infrastructure that provides sustainability,” Nieman said. “We had external reviewers come, and they said that it is a unique program that is on the cutting edge of where sustainability and environmental studies are headed.” In his speech, Stenger addressed BU’s ranking as the best public college in New York state by the American City Business Journals in 2015, as well as the 73 total new faculty members hired across every school. He also discussed
possible collaboration plans for the new pharmacy school with SUNY Upstate Medical University students and an increase in donations to the University. The Senate also voted to approve 846 graduate students and 2,596 undergraduates for graduation and then reviewed proposals for the upcoming fall 2015 semester. A major topic of conversation was BU’s recent stewardship of the “castle,” or the former New York State Inebriate Asylum on Robinson Street, in which Stenger said plans for the space are not yet determined. While skeptical at first to take responsibility for preservation of the national historic landmark, Stenger said the University looks forward to the possibilities. “Someone had to save that building,” he said. “It would be the metaphor of the community if we let this building rot. If it’s not Binghamton University, who else would do it?” This was the last Faculty Senate meeting of the semester until they reconvene in fall 2015.
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Creativity, skill promoted by student-run orchestra MUSIC continued from Page 1
Michael Contegni/Pipe Dream Staff Photographer
Will Wisz, a traveling speaker with Liberty in North Korea (LiNK), gives a presentation on North Korean refugees in the Lecture Hall. Campus activism converged with international action Tuesday night as students and speakers discussed North Korean politics and its shifting image.
In the midst of a violent regime, activists aid 335 refugees LINK continued from Page 1 corporate donors and events, and totaled nearly $1.5 million in 2013 alone. The exact process by which these refugees escape is confidential so as not to compromise the migrants’ safety. However, LiNK does ground work in China in order to assist the refugees on their journey. This includes helping them once they have gotten to China by providing shelter and ensuring they are not deported back to North Korea.
The Binghamton University branch of LiNK hosts several events each semester and brings in LiNK “nomads” to raise money and awareness. Yoon Sun Na, the president of LiNK at BU and a senior majoring in sociology, said that the group plans to bring a real North Korean defector to campus named Chalryong Seo next week to speak about his experiences. “It’s important to do events like these so people can see North Korea in a different way,” Sun Na said. Many of the students at the
event had deep ties to this issue. Several who originally came to BU from South Korea asked questions about the South Korean emotional sentiment toward North Korea, as the countries are at war, and about the organization’s stance on Korean reunification. “It’s hard to change people’s feelings but maybe it is part of the long term,” Wisz said. “We believe in the complete selfdetermination of the North Korean people and are only focused on helping people get out of the country right now.”
We want to show you what the North Korean people are really up against — Will Wisz LiNK speaker
Throughout each semester, Explorchestra plays at numerous events across campus. This year, they performed at the CIW Woods Jam, Live Musical Chairs at Late Nite and the Equality Project’s Day of Silence. Explorchestra also collaborates with other BU organizations such as Chanbara, a Japanese performance group. Zhou, the president of Explorchestra and a senior majoring in marketing, said that joining Explorchestra helped him develop his musical creativity. “I chose to be part of Explorchestra because it was the only outlet I could find to compose and perform my music,” Zhou said. “Explorchestra was also very understanding of my thenlimited experience in writing for orchestral instruments and would help me develop my composition skills more than any other organization I have ever been a part of.” Zhou said that he and other composers usually refine, edit and add notations to their pieces through software such as Finale or Sibelius. Before submitting their work, they show their pieces to more experienced member composers or music professors to receive feedback. Elizabeth Klippert, a violinist in the ensemble and a junior
majoring in mathematics, said putting on the final performance is fun despite the timeconsuming required practice. “Although we only have rehearsal once a week, they can be intense since they generally run about 3 hours,” Klippert said. “But the most exciting part about performing with Explorchestra is getting to share the music that the people in the group have created with my friends and family.” According to Michelle Li, a flutist and sophomore majoring in English, the most rewarding part of Explorchestra is sharing their work with the public. “The most exciting part about performing is that brief moment of silence after a piece before an audience starts clapping,” Li said. “You get to reflect the slightest bit, then you get to take in the reward for your efforts.” Zhou said that although it can be hard work, being in a completely student-run orchestra is a unique and beneficial experience. “I consider leading and composing for the orchestra to be challenging work, but also immensely rewarding,” he said. “The feeling of hearing a composition you created and rehearsed for months with Explorchestra is unlike anything else I’ve ever felt, though, and has never been anything but incredible.”
Sustainable farming, nutrition education key to reforming worldwide food access FOOD continued from Page 1 of New York are about making sure that you break the chains of cheap food, cheap care, cheap work.” According to Janice McDonald, director of the Office of External Scholarships, Fellowships and Awards, this
year’s theme was sustainability. She said Patel’s work on food sustainability and food systems fit in with the emphasis on nutrition worldwide. “I think it’s something a lot of people can relate to and you can look at it from so many different ways,” McDonald said. “As a scientist, as a social
scientist, it has so many different ramifications.” According to Sabrina Scull, a senior majoring in environmental studies, Patel’s talk was an eyeopener to the effect of minority oppression on world hunger. “We do not need to lead with a heavy crusade to spread environmental justice,” she said.
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Arts & Culture
Festival awakens Binghamton to its artistic potential
As a part of Research Days, student groups collaborate to bring an artistic side to a week of STEM-heavy events Rich Kersting | Release Those who attended the first Art Awakening Festival in the Old University Union Wednesday and Thursday were met by an eclectic showcase of the creative student groups who fall, in the most diverse ways, into the category of “art.” To boast a united front between the artistic community on campus, Art Awakening was held as the creative activity part of Research Days to provide a fuller picture of what being a student at Binghamton University is all about. According to Andrew Davidov, a senior majoring in English and a co-founder of the festival, when people think of BU, they’re often confronted by its reputation as a school that focuses on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. “One goal of ours is to stop Binghamton University from
focusing on STEM and start focusing on STEAM,” Davidov said, adding arts into the acronym. With the inclusion of Art Awakening into Research Days, students from any discipline, not just the arts, can gain a more balanced exposure to the opportunities available to them on campus. Art Awakening separates itself from the usual tabling that occurs in the Old Union. It isn’t just meant to attract new members to groups, but also to provide a golden opportunity for these groups to meet and collaborate. Art Awakening was itself a collaboration. It was cofounded by Tiffany Moustakas, the president of the Alpha Delta Phi Society and a senior majoring in English, along with Davidov, who organized a group of other independent students with a vested interest in the representation of the arts on campus. The result was a festival that boasted an attendance
of 20 artistic student groups, each with a unique definition of what it means for something to be considered “art.” “I believe that the best art is created when diverse disciplines come together for some larger purpose,” Davidov said. The first day of the festival featured an open mic in the Undergrounds for the performing art groups on campus, while the second day featured an elaborate collective of tabling in the Mandela Room and Old Union Hall. This collective tabling was meant as an all-encompassing showcase to demonstrate the artistic community on campus. To participate in the tabling, the groups were asked to make their exhibits interactive for attendees. While some took to painting bicycles, others decided to sit in a circle and meditate. By having all of these groups in one room, the hope was that some of them would
interact with each other, resulting in some collaboration. In a society that is moving toward the importance and practicality of STEM education, it’s important that students across the disciplines don’t lose sight of what the arts have to offer. Perhaps the most attractive aspect of the arts on campus is that you don’t have to be an art student to draw and you don’t need to be an English major to write. College is one of the few times in one’s life where there is both time and opportunity to cultivate one’s creative passions. Whether you like photography, rapping, painting or writing, there’s a group at this school for you to bring your creative energy to. BU President Harvey Stenger also stopped by the festival to show his support for the arts on campus. “Binghamton University has tremendous amounts of energy around the arts from performing arts to visual arts,” Stenger said.
Kevin Sussy/Contributing Photographer
Students come together to look over art presented by the Art Awakening Festival in the Mandela Room. The festival was held as the creative activity part of Research Days to provide a fuller picture of what being a student at Binghamton University is all about. “To have this showcase of so many Research Days.” students involved in the arts is Release writer Tiffany a great new tradition that we Moustakas was not involved in hope can parallel the tradition of the publication of this article.
Jim Daniels takes readers on a drive through 8-Mile, Detroit
Milt Kessler Poetry Book Award winner reflects on the auto industry and rock music of his urban upbringing Jonathan Ferrera | Contributing Writer From 8 Mile Road to the classroom at Carnegie Mellon University, poet Jim Daniels is examining the changes in American culture through his writing. Daniels spoke Tuesday night about growing up in Detroit, where the factories his family worked at were like cities within themselves. Daniels, who was the recipient of this year’s Binghamton University Milt Kessler Poetry Book Award, works as an English professor at CMU, where he teacher
creative writing. He spoke of his rock ‘n’ roll influences and cited The Stooges, a Detroit-based proto-punk band of the early 1970s, as an influence on the chaos that bleeds through his poems. He wanted to capture the “visceral, straightforward, directness” that came from early ’70s rock music, and coalesce them with his own life experiences. “All these poems were charged with my rock ‘n’ roll influences,” Daniels said. And, of course, since he is from Detroit, many of his poems’ themes are related to cars. “Up on Blocks” discusses
tragedies of the Vietnam War through their effects at home. The poem describes Detroit’s 8 Mile as a place where “blocks were piled up on blocks” with cars placed upon them for repair, and one waiting to be repaired while its owner fought overseas. The car represented Daniels’ interpretation of Americans’ struggles with loss during the Vietnam War, and although the poem is somber, it contains hope as Daniels still rode in his car even “after Danny died.” In his poem “Company Men,” Daniels explains how he followed in the footsteps of his family members who have had decades-
long careers, and how their dedication pushed him to peruse the same path. He writes about the attitudes and culture of these company men with quaint beauty. They learned time management and were always on duty. Daniels found their loyalty, persistence and stoicism inspiring. Daniels also read poems that examined his life in Detroit through different foods and the values accorded to them. The poem “Hotdog Variations” is an ode to the hot dog, but also touches on themes such as sex, drugs and poverty in his community. Daniels wrote, “It fell in the dirt, but I
wiped it on my jeans … It fell off the platter, and I fought the dog for it. I fought the dog, and the dog won,” bringing a humorous perspective with the situation of only being able to eat what was available. In “Outdoor Chef,” Daniels describes his most meaningful class in high school, which taught Daniels and his “at-risk” classmates how to grill. The class, which was really meant to help the students graduate, provided a sense of community to those who otherwise felt like they were on the outside. The poem captured Daniels’ sense of humor, as he
Where: When: Tuesday, April 28th Time: Lunch & Dinner Contest with PRIZES
described the students setting lighter fluid on fire to spell out their names in the grass as an ode to Jimi Hendrix lighting his guitar on fire. Lines such as, “Someone stabbed someone with a skewer, but we all agreed it was an accident,” made attendees laugh with the poet, as Daniels drew listeners in to the world he grew up in. Daniels’ poems seek to derive peace from the madness of the streets of Detroit. Through the combination of humor and lyrical language, he creates a picture of Detroit that is frozen in time while bringing the reader onto the streets he called home.
April 24, 2015 | bupipedream.com
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RELEASE
Willkommen, bienvenue to 'Cabaret,' HPC's latest The production company sings its way through a musical about the dangerous political game of 1930s Berlin Rich Kersting | Release A dangerous mix of party and politics, “Cabaret” is the Hinman Production Company’s latest musical, transforming the Hinman Commons into the sultry Kit Kat Klub. Following the sexual indiscretions of an American novelist as he navigates the cultural tumult of 1930s Berlin, “Cabaret” is a tragic story that explores the eccentric comedic elements of the city. In a world where people are constantly asking, “Politics, but what has that got to do with us?,” “Cabaret” is an important example of the dangers of political ignorance. It’s one final party before the rise of the Nazis and an end to the cultural renaissance that had attracted many to pre-war Berlin. One of the largest challenges that the HPC cast faced was using accents, as the story takes place in Germany. While many of the characters delivered their lines without much of a hitch, there were some bouts of conversation that seemed unnatural and forced. Having said that, these accents improved dramatically when the cast entered into song. For the most part, the musical numbers were delivered with surprising energy and artistry. What characters failed to convey in dialogue they made up for in the musical numbers, where some of the more touching and tragic moments of the musical are addressed. The cast seemed
aware of their musical abilities and limitations and worked within them to perform in a fashion that avoided feeling forced and strained. The dance numbers also conveyed this level of sensibility. Instead of trying to force the cast into overly complex dance numbers, the performance stuck to simplistic yet iconic techniques that kept the audience engaged in the energy and the spirit of the club. Since amateur theater always has limited resources, it’s important to meter expectations, especially for musicals. But part of the appeal is also how the cast and crew overcome these limitations to deliver a worthwhile, genuine show. Especially regarding the technical challenges that HPC has to face, they work very hard to transform a single room into a stage. With “Cabaret,” the set was intelligently designed to allow the same backdrop for the Kit Kat Klub to be used for multiple settings. However technically effectual, this backdrop interrupted the immersion of the scenes that occurred outside of the club. Given what HPC has proven themselves capable of in the past, it stood out as one of the weaker aspects of the show. While some of the acting fell flat in the grand scope of the story, Tyler Sparks and Stephanie Herlihy were definitely two of the stronger actors in the cast. Sparks, who portrays the outrageously flamboyant Emcee,
Tamar Ashdot-Bari/Pipe Dream Photographer
The cast and crew of “Cabaret” perform in the Hinman Commons. The Hinman Production Company transformed the Hinman Commons into the sultry Kit Kat Klub. fully embodies the sexual fluidity of pre-Nazi Berlin that the show means to underscore. Asking the question, “Is it a crime to fall in love?” Sparks’ performance is at times the most entertaining and the most tragic. Herlihy, who
plays the English cabaret singer Sally Bowles, does a brilliant job capturing the excitement and loneliness of the cabaret, and her musical numbers stand out from the rest. If you’re even considering seeing the show,
theirs are not performances you’ll want to miss. “Cabaret” is a show that everyone should see at least once. The HPC staging has its limitations, but they do not detract outright from the gravity
of the story. With performances on April 24 at 8 p.m. and April 25 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., “Cabaret” is wild party juxtaposed with immanent tragedy, and a story that should not go unheard. The cost of admission is $5.
Today's television comedies, where girls poop and the brows don't matter Whether it's 'Louie' or 'Silicon Valley,' some comedies take a stab at elaborate storytelling, but don't shy away from dick jokes story of the show as a whole. There are occasional stories that stretch episodes — Fry and Leela’s romance in “Futurama,” the reverend’s conviction in “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” — but overall, comedy is concerned with, well, the jokes. “Louie” is largely like that, even though there are recurring themes such as parenthood and divorce. But every once in a while, C.K. has multi-episode narrative arcs, most prominently the sixepisode “Elevator” arc in the last Photo Provided by Comedy Central season. In that part, C.K. almost abandoned comedy altogether, Jacob Shamsian | between brows high and low, accentuating his desire to push Release Editor though. Take “Louie,” which, the show beyond just the genre. at the beginning of an episode, What makes “Louie” special is that In a recent episode of “Louie,” wrings comedy out of the main it sprinkles in those series-long Louis C.K. tells a struggling and character having to poop really stories into a show that otherwise terrible young comedian not to badly and struggling to make it doesn’t even pretend to think go into comedy. “You have to start to his apartment before he can’t about plot. with what makes you laugh,” C.K. help himself. Later, he makes While the dominant mode of tells him as a piece of hopeless a conversation about how the television comedy is plotlessness, advice. nature of comedy itself is funny. “Silicon Valley” ignores the What makes people laugh Brow level is one of “Louie’s” trend by being almost as much means something different to many concerns. But one of the a drama as it is a comedy. It everyone. Comedy is the most show’s most unique traits is its started out as a parody of Silicon subjective of genres; millions occasional concern with plot. Valley culture, but then, while might laugh at Adam Sandler As a general rule, comedies are burrowing itself into the culture’s getting hit in the testes, while only concerned with plot insofar intricacies, fashioned a plot almost some prefer to smirk at S.J. as it is within a single episode. accidentally out of those elements. Perelman’s New Yorker stories. The characters in an episode go Just when the show seemed to Today’s television landscape from point A to point B, but it be repeating the same bits about largely dismisses the difference doesn’t necessarily impact the out-of-touch billionaire venture
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OPINION Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Address: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902 Phone: 607-777-2515 FAx: 607-777-2600 Web: bupipedream.com
Spring 2015
Electronic festival experience ruined by cultural appropriation
editor-in-ChieF* Rachel Bluth editor@bupipedream.com MAnAging editor* Tycho A. McManus manager@bupipedream.com
Chelsea Desuisseaux
neWs editor* Nicolás Vega news@bupipedream.com
Guest Columnist
Asst. neWs editors Joseph E. Hawthorne Carla Sinclair Alexandra Mackof oPinion editor* Molly McGrath opinion@bupipedream.com releAse editor* Jacob Shamsian release@bupipedream.com 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 design MAnAger* Emma C Siegel design@bupipedream.com design Assts. Corey Futterman John Linitz Photo editor* Franz Lino photo@bupipedream.com Asst. Photo editor Klara Rusinko 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. Any facts referenced must be properly cited from credible news sources. Pipe Dream reserves the right to edit submissions, and does not guarantee publication. All submissions become property of Pipe Dream. Submissions may be e-mailed to the Opinion Editor at opinion@bupipedream.com.
stabilizing: filth
meat balls :destabilizing
Racism present in festival scene
A Pluralist Proposition
P
art of Binghamton University’s role to cultivate a learned student body is to assign general education requirements. But without a careful eye, the original purpose of those requirements can be lost. On Tuesday, the University announced the first changes to the pluralism (P) GenEd requirement since its creation in 1995, curbing a trend in which students could fulfill the requirement by merely learning the basics of American history in high school and encouraging a way to learn more about the issues relevant to the ones students face today. But the changes aren’t enough. To reform the curriculum, the University must decide on a clear definition of “contemporary” issues. In a past editorial, we’ve argued that the pluralism credit should exist to teach students about oppressive power structures, the experiences of marginalized groups and institutionalized oppression. A solid understanding of these issues is invaluable. Unfortunately, not all of the current class options that fulfill the “P” credit provide students with this foundational understanding. The requirement should then be redefined to focus on these core issues. Any class, whether it be on gender studies or indigenous peoples, must open students’ eyes to the oppressive structures that underly society in ways we may not discover on our own outside of the classroom. Though a complete overhaul
of the requirement will obviously involve the addition of new courses, old ones will also have to get the boot. Courses such as “Introduction to American Politics” should count toward a political science degree, but that curriculum should not fulfill a “P” credit. An understanding of our basic governmental structure doesn’t provide students with any degree of cultural competency or understanding. The same logic applies to Advanced Placement credits. The effort taken by some high school students through AP courses should be recognized at the university level, but learning about checks and balances in AP Government isn’t quite the same as studying “three or more cultural groups in the United States in terms of their specific experiences,” which is the definition of the pluralism requirement given by the University. Success in an advanced high school course should satisfy a different requirement, such as social sciences, since there is no reason a student should place out of a chance to increase their cultural competency. It is necessary to learn about these things in a college environment where students are pushed to think
more critically than they were in high school. We also want to see a standard of uniformity across the various sections of pluralism courses. When multiple professors conduct these courses, they may teach substantially different material for the same course. Students may encounter vastly different material and receive credit for allegedly the same requirement. We find this problematic. Obviously, faculty have different areas of specialization as well as distinct viewpoints that contribute to the manner in which they instruct their courses, and of course this enhances the university experience. Specific course loads should follow basic guidelines to ensure an academic outcome shared by every student at the conclusion of each semester. Professors are entitled to their own individual styles, as long as essential subjects are covered within a semester. Pluralism shouldn’t just be a box that we all check in order to graduate. As a university community, we are facing some of the hardest truths about diversity and marginalization right now. It’s time to turn this requirement into something meaningful and productive.
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.
Oil transport poses danger
As an avid fan of house music and member of Binghamton University’s Hoop Troop, I’m almost the typical attendant of EDM festivals. However, my experience at this past summer’s Electric Forest Festival proved to me that so many white people just don’t get it. Because I am a person of color, what should have been an exhilarating adventure turned out to be a nightmare. I faced covert racism and microaggressions from pseudo-hippies that left me cynical about festival culture and colorblindness among the younger generation. Festivals such as Coachella have already received backlash for the cultural appropriation of Native American headdresses; so much so that a plethora of festivals have banned the sporting of the war bonnets. Yet something that the media doesn’t address is the cultural appropriation of dreadlocks that is so apparent in EDM festival culture. The amount of white people with dreads at Electric Forest was astounding. I was prepared to be one of the few people of color at the festival, but I wasn’t prepared to see people steal my culture. Many festival attendees fail to realize the cultural significance of hair as a part of black identity, especially dreadlocks. Historically, straightening black hair was a form of survival, in hopes of gaining access to opportunities and resources that African-Americans were denied. Wearing afro-textured in its natural state is a declaration against the European standard of beauty. Now, there is nothing wrong with black people who straighten their hair, but there is everything wrong with white people having dreadlocks. The difference is that one group is assimilating into dominant culture, whereas the other is borrowing an important aspect of identity from a marginalized group. There is a lot of pressure in the workplace for black people to cut their dreads;
there is the case of Ashley Davis, a Missouri woman whose company implemented a policy banning dreadlocks and other hairstyles. There is also the case of 7-year-old Tiana Parker, an Oklahoma girl who had to switch schools after she was sent home for her locs, a hairstyle deemed not “presentable” by school officials. So it is mocking and obnoxious for white people to wear them. I rock faux-locs myself as a protective style for my natural hair, so I was very offended by every white person I saw wearing dreads. Another issue I have with these festivals is the visible drug culture within them. I am by no means judging anyone for their choices, but the role of drugs in the majority-white festivals is vastly different than it is in the black community. As I witnessed the open sale and use of narcotics on the festival campgrounds, I couldn’t help but think about the black and brown people from lowincome neighborhoods that are disproportionately thrown in jail for drugs. The war on drugs started during Richard Nixon’s presidency in the 1970s, and became an excuse to overpolice and incarcerate men and women in poor, minority neighborhoods. According to the NAACP, five times as many whites as African-Americans use drugs, yet African-Americans are imprisoned for drug offenses at 10 times the rate of whites. Former U.S. Marshal and Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Matthew Fogg has recently spoken out about his administrators advising him to not enforce drug laws in white areas. Law enforcement’s application of drug policies is racially organized and takes for granted the lives of people of color. While white kids are partying worry-free on festival grounds, black people are unjustly vilified for drugs. Overall, my time at the Electric Forest was a bust. The scenery was magical and I got to see Lauryn Hill perform, but this was not a safe space for me to express my love of music as a black woman. — Chelsea is a junior majoring in human development
Celebrate senior year by giving
Pipeline political debate distracts from neglected rails
Donations can help improve University experience
transported on a segment of our nation’s aging railways nicknamed the “virtual pipeline.” This virtual pipeline passes through countless towns and small cities until it reaches the dispersion hub in Albany where it is redirected toward the major east coast cities. In the United States as well as in Canada, crude oil is transported using DOT-111 railcars. These aging cars were designed to transport liquids and were not necessarily made to carry volatile liquids like oil. In an accident or derailment, these cars can malfunction, often with catastrophic results. While there have been many derailments and accidents involving oil tankers recently, the 2013 derailment — and subsequent explosion — in LacMegantic, Quebec, which killed 47 people and leveled a town, most clearly demonstrates the potential devastation an accident can cause. Even worse, the federal government predicts that trains hauling crude oil or ethanol will derail an average of 10 times a year over the next two decades. Luckily, the government has not been completely silent on the issue of railroad safety. In the wake of a series of accidents involving trains carrying crude oil, the federal government has made attempts to
As soon-to-be alums, it is important that our final moments show our unity as a class and our commitment to a campus that has been central to our lives for so long. This year marks the first official “Seniors for the BingFund” campaign, a studentdriven initiative that asks seniors to show support and enthusiasm for Binghamton by making their first-ever philanthropic gift to the University. This campaign is overseen by the Student Philanthropy Committee, a student-run organization, of which I am a co-chair. By making a small gift to Binghamton, we are showing that we truly want the University to continue as is, grow and thrive. As we move toward graduation, giving a small amount of money can help us feel like the alums we will be. Like the last toast at Tom & Marty’s or the last Jazzman’s coffee, this can provide us closure and can also empower us for the future. Philanthropic giving to the school takes many forms, be it in funding scholarships, renovating old buildings or even keeping the cost of attendance down for the students who follow in our footsteps. Alumni giving is so important for the health of a
David Forrest
Columnist
Over the last decade, the Keystone XL Pipeline has grown from just another pipeline proposal into a political football that dominates domestic politics. The volatile argument surrounding the pipeline has divided the country. It has become environmentalists’ symbol of how businesses are harming the environment. The problem is that when pipelines become politically unpopular, crude oil is then transported by rail, which is no safer than transporting it by pipeline. We currently transport crude oil using one of two methods: pipeline or rail. Given the political climate surrounding the Keystone Pipeline, it is likely that rail transport will be the main mode of crude oil transport in the United States for the foreseeable future. What most people fail to understand is that our current method of transporting crude oil by rail has huge problems of its own. On its way from reserves in oil-rich North and South Dakota, billions of gallons of crude oil are
make oil transportation safer. The Department of Transportation has ordered rail companies to phase out their aging DOT-111 cars in favor of newer, safer vehicles. However, they have given rail companies until 2018 to complete the transition, which is far too generous of a time period. Given Congress’ failure to act, the DOT issued a series of emergency orders in an attempt to address the issue. The new regulations include a 40 mph speed limit for trains moving through urban areas along with new cargo disclosure requirements. These regulations are certainly a step in the right direction, but they do not go far enough. Congress must act to require retrofitting of existing cars to meet safety standards along with expediting the transition process to newer, crash-worthy cars. Congress must act quickly despite the railroad industry’s attempts to slow the process, as these regulations are a necessary oversight on an industry that has demonstrated that it will not make the changes itself. Focusing solely on the Keystone XL Pipeline is detracting from many of the issues we face today. — David Forrest is a senior majoring in political science
Andrew Loso
Guest Columnist
The final months of a senior’s time at Binghamton are when many of us seek closure. As we reflect on our years here and prepare to turn the page on our next chapter, we often look for memorable moments of conclusion to help us fully celebrate our success and understand the changes in our lives. This can take many forms, including the last toast at Tom & Marty’s, the last Jazzman’s coffee and the final goodbye to those timeless friends. Even applying to graduate online necessitates a brief pause before clicking “submit.” These last moments are emotional; they catalyze our nostalgia, represent the success of our education and help us to reflect on how we’ve changed as Binghamton students through the years. As we move through these moments, it can be difficult to fully accept the idea that they will come to an end; soon, we will have to accept whatever closure we find during these days and transition from Bearcats to Bearcats for Life.
university. In fact, the U.S. News and World Report attributes 5 percent of its ranking for a university to the rate of alumni donations. This is a pivotal credential for Binghamton. For students, faculty, staff and alumni alike who wish to see Binghamton be the best it can be, we need to understand the magnitude of giving. Though private institutions see higher success in these endeavors, such as Dartmouth, which receives gifts from 99 percent of its seniors, direct competitors like Penn State see greater success in philanthropic giving than we do. It is imperative as seniors who wish to see Binghamton compete with these schools to show our allegiance to BU and cast our first “vote” through the Seniors for the BingFund campaign. I ask all seniors, as we continue through these final weeks of our undergraduate careers, to make our first-ever philanthropic gift to Binghamton, to experience an emotional last moment and to remember that as alums, we will always be Bearcats for Life. — Andrew Loso is a senior double majoring in history and Spanish and co-chair of the Student Philantrophy Committee
SPORTS
April 24, 2015 | bupipedream.com
9
Binghamton to host Vermont
Seniors to be honored before final regular season outing Jeff Twitty
Assistant Sports Editor
Klara Rusinko/Assistant Photo Editor
The men’s tennis team is set to compete in its first-ever MAC tournament this weekend at Northern Illinois.
Bearcats head to MAC Tourney In first year in MAC conference, BU seeks to set a precedent Nicholas Waldron Contributing Writer
For the first time in program history, the Binghamton men’s tennis team is set to participate in the Mid-American Conference Tournament, hosted at Northern Illinois this weekend. After a rough start to the season, the Bearcats (7-15, 3-2 MAC) turned their season around
I was hired to continue the success ... Binghamton has had — Nick Zieziula BU head coach
at the right time. Entering April with a 2-14 record, including two conference losses, the Bearcats kicked it into high gear by winning five of six in the month. Headed into the tournament red-hot, the Bearcats are set to make their case. As an experienced team seasoned by a difficult nonconference schedule — which featured nine top-80 teams — Binghamton head coach Nick Zieziula is also ready. “We’ve been trying to stick with the same work habits that we started with in the beginning of the season,” the first-year said. “We lost a couple of close matches out in Middle Tennessee, but then they showed up to practice on Tuesday and worked hard.” The Middle Tennessee Shootout in Murfreesboro, Tennessee was a turning point in the season for the Bearcats. After not coming within a point of victory in the eight matches preceding the event, the Bearcats narrowly
lost two matches, 3-4, a sign that success was on the horizon. Since returning from MTSU, the Bearcats have only lost once. Set to face Western Michigan first in the tournament — a team that defeated the Bearcats in the regular season — Zieziula remains confident in his squad. “The first match was indoors instead of outdoors,” Zieziula said. “These are two completely different teams from the start of the season.” But don’t mistake Zieziula’s confidence in new territory for pride in his first year on the job. “I was not hired to make MAC Tournaments,” Zieziula said. “I was hired to continue the success in conference championships that Binghamton has had. We want to work hard and get better every day.” Binghamton is set to take on Western Michigan at 2 p.m. Friday at the Huskie Tennis Courts in DeKalb, Illinois.
BU stars earn weekly honors
Alkins, Bordeau impress through play at Bucknell Challenge E.Jay Zarett
Assistant Sports Editor After shattering three program records last weekend at the Princeton Invitational and Bucknell Challenge, the Binghamton track and field teams continue to shine. On Tuesday, the America East announced that the Bearcat tandem of sophomore sprinter Jon Alkins and senior thrower Brandon Bordeau swept the male portion of the conference’s weekly awards. “[The meet] was really lowpressure, so we just trusted that our training was working and we went out and did the best of our ability,” Bordeau said. Bordeau, who was named the AE Field Athlete of the Week for the second time this season, shined at the Bucknell Invitational. The senior shot a personal best in both the shot put event, recording a distance of 55-1 ½ feet, and in the discus event, in which he registered a score of 164-2. Bordeau’s throw in the shot put surpassed the previous program record of 54-6 ½, which was set by current BU senior Pat Heikkila in 2014. “I think it is just an indication that our training is going well, that it is doing what it should,” Bordeau said. “Leading up to conferences, I am where I should be. It is definitely a good indicator that I am where I want to be.” Bordeau was victorious in two events at Bucknell, and his scores in both events qualified for the IC4A qualifying standard. He will look to carry momentum into upcoming events, including this weekend’s competition in the Penn Relays. “You just have to use it as a motivator, that you can know you can throw that far,” Bordeau said. “You just have to push yourself as far as you can, going into the Penn Relays and conferences. That’s when you really want to peak and reach your highest potential. I’m using it as a litmus test to see where I should really be performing when I’m at 100 percent.” Alkins was also victorious in two of his sprinting events at Bucknell.
Alkins bested 11 other runners in the 100-meter event, finishing with a time of 10.83 seconds. In the 200-meter sprint, he finished ahead of 17 other runners with a time of 21.40 seconds. The sophomore, who also met the IC4A qualifying standard, earned the AE Track Athlete of the Week award for his performance. “Being selected to represent not only my school but my team, putting in all of the hard work I have throughout the year, it’s great to be selected by the America East as their Athlete of the Week,” Alkins said. “You know, you are competing with not just other track athletes, but overall every athlete who competes in the spring season. So winning this is definitely an honor.” The Binghamton track and field teams are set to participate in the Penn Relays this weekend. While events were scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Thursday, no results were available at the time of deadline. However, BU expects to see top
competition at the event. “I expect the competition to be incredibly high, the highest competition level any of us will probably see,” Bordeau said. “It’s an opportunity to put yourself out there with people who are just as competitive as you, and I will probably see some of the people I will be throwing against at conferences, so it is a good chance to see where they’re at and what the competition looks like.”
...it's great to be selected by the America East as their Athlete of the Week — Jon Alkins BU senior sprinter
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What’s on the line for the Binghamton men’s lacrosse team against Vermont this weekend is simple: one more game. While the America East postseason isn’t set to begin until Thursday, the Bearcats’ (4-8, 2-3 AE) matchup against UVM (5-9, 3-2 AE) will determine who gets the fourth and final seed in the conference tournament. In order to find victory against the Catamounts, the BU defense will have to douse a Vermont offense that has scored in doubledigits in 10 consecutive matchups this season. “They’re a very opportunistic team in the extra man and all even so we’ve got to try to keep an eye on that,” BU head coach Scott Nelson said. Leading the attack for UVM’s opportunistic front field is sophomore attack Cam Milligan and sophomore midfielder Ian MacKay. Milligan currently paces
the Vermont offense with 59 total points on the year while MacKay — the 2014 AE Rookie of the Year — is a leader in goals, with 32 so far this season. “They both score a lot of points,” Nelson said of the duo. “So we’re going to have to stay out of the penalty box, limit transition and watch out for those two guys.” Back on the Binghamton front, the Bearcats have made every possession matter. Giving up three goals to Stony Brook off of what Nelson dons “turnover shots” — saves made by opposing goalies which turn the ball away from the BU attack — the Bearcats will work against UVM to use their methodical attack as a way to find good angles. Saturday’s matchup will also double as Senior Day for the Bearcats, who are set to lose their offensive anchors come the close of their 2015 campaign. With the members of the class of 2015 being the first coached entirely under Nelson, the losses of defender Matthew Kopp, midfielders J.T. Hauck, Anthony Lombardo,
Emmett O’Hara and attackers Paul O’Donnell and Tucker Nelson — Nelson’s son — will carry an additional weight with the coach. “It’s an interesting thing for me, having my oldest son’s last home game — so yes, it’s different,” Nelson said. “But like always, I want to see all of them go out in a great way. They’re a great group, they’re a lot of fun, they’re good in the classroom, just great guys […] we would like to see them get a win and keep playing.” First face-off against Vermont is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.
They're a great group, they're a lot of fun — Scott Nelson BU head coach
BU VS. VERMONT
DAY SATURDAY LOCATION BEARCATS SPORTS COMPLEX TIME 1 P.M.
Michael Contegni/Pipe Dream Staff Photographer
Senior attack Tucker Nelson heads into Saturday’s matchup against Vermont with a team-high 39 points.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Bearcats to host AE tourney this weekend See Tuesday's issue for recap Friday, April 24, 2015
Binghamton to host Canisius in last game of 2015
Emily Earl/Pipe Dream Photographer
Senior attack Renee Kiviat heads into her final game as a Bearcat with a .522 shot percentage and 24 goals on the season.
For Kiviat, BU seniors, final contest in green and white focused on team development, program's future Ashley Purdy Sports Editor
Win or lose, the Binghamton women’s lacrosse team’s 2015 campaign ends Saturday. Though most seasons end in a conference matchup or tournament, due to the assignment of bye weeks, Binghamton’s schedule will end with a nonconference contest at home against MAAC-member Canisius. Had the Bearcats (6-10, 1-5 America East) made the AE Tournament, it could have been a strategic opportunity to refine their game before the wins reset. But falling shy of clinching a playoff appearance in the fourteam field, BU finds itself with just one more go, with nothing on the line. Ostensibly, at least. For senior attack Renee Kiviat, who leads the team in goals scored
(24) and shot percentage (.522) of those who fired off at least 10 attempts this season, Saturday marks one last trip to the field in the green and white. While the four-year starter will watch her illustrious career come to an end Saturday, the sentiment surrounding the game isn’t one of antiquity, but one of future development. “I’m just going out there to help the team prepare for next season,” Kiviat said. “We’re focusing a lot on us and on preparation for next season, so I’ll just do my best out there.” That level of commitment to her team shouldn’t be surprising. Kiviat’s devotion to the game motivated her to play through injuries her sophomore year and propelled her to rebound for two incredibly successful subsequent years. So rather than dwell on the finitude of her playing time, Kiviat, described by head coach Stephanie
Allen as a “natural leader,” has her team’s future in mind. “I’m just trying to be a good role model on the field,” Kiviat said. “We have a lot of young talent and a lot of room to grow as a program, so I’m just trying to leave a legacy and show how hard work can really pay off and how well we can do as a team.” Kiviat has the results to show for it. Her success reaches well beyond just this year or last year: When she began her tenure at Binghamton in 2012, the 5-foot7 Jericho, New York native made an immediate impact. She led the team with a 56.2 percent clip in shot percentage while managing a third-best 32 draw controls. Behind that production, she earned a spot on the AE All-Rookie team. Not to mention last season, when the then-junior put up 21 goals on 48 shots en route to a second-best 26 points on her team. Kiviat likewise matched a team-
high 30 draw controls, showcasing her versatility on the team. That year, she was named AE First-Team All-Conference and was chosen the team MVP. But like any successful player, Kiviat, who is earning her degree in systems engineering next month, wasn’t satisfied with just that. “I think I had a very good personal season for myself last year, but there’s always room for improvement for everyone in every aspect of the game,” she said. This season, in addition to her increased offensive efficacy, Kiviat ranks across the board of statistics. She’s third on the team with 31 ground balls, fourth with 18 draw controls and still forced 15 turnovers. “We couldn’t be more proud of Renee and the work and bricks that she’s really laid for this program and hopefully future successes,” Allen said. “She’s a player that
takes a lot of ownership over this program and what she contributes to it, and she’s definitely been able to leave a mark on her senior season here and leave us on a really high note.” But it’s also her intangibles that set Kiviat apart and make her a leader. “She brings a good sense of calmness, game experience and confidence to the field,” Allen said. “She’s a player that we can trust to have the ball in her hands at the end of the game or come out and make a play defensively after she’s played for 59 minutes already, and she’s still going for that last minute of the contest.” Behind Kiviat’s leadership, Saturday’s game grants an opportunity to set the tone for the summer as well as the year beyond. And for a team that will be largely intact next season — there are only four seniors on the lengthy roster — that ends up placing a lot
on the line. The game, which was originally scheduled for Tuesday but was postponed due to inclement weather, is set for 4 p.m. Saturday at the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.
BU VS. CANISIUS
DAY SATURDAY LOCATION BEARCATS SPORTS COMPLEX TIME 4 P.M.
BU to face NYIT this weekend Bearcats aim to improve in AE ranks
Non-conference series grants Bearcats shot to 'find themselves'
BU to take on UMBC in weekend series, seeks four seed
Brett Malamud
Joseph Burns
Pipe Dream Sports
After dropping two of three to Albany last weekend, the Binghamton baseball team had its following matchup with Cornell canceled Wednesday. The Bearcats (12-15-1, 6-8 America East) now look ahead to a non-conference weekend series with New York Institute of Technology. And while Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki originally had plans to play some of the team’s nonstarters against Cornell, he doesn’t plan on using that strategy this weekend. “I think we need to find ourselves a little bit this weekend in some areas,” Sinicki said. “I think we have to continue to run the guys out that we think we’re going to move forward with in conference games. We’ll get some
guys some time, but it won’t be the mass lineup change like we do in midweek non-conference games.” Sinicki wants to give these players chances next week, however, and plans to give them those opportunities in Tuesday’s doubleheader against St. Bonaventure. As for the starters, Sinicki sees this weekend as a turning point for the BU bullpen, which allowed 14 runs over the three-game series against the Great Danes. “One thing that we saw was that our bullpen didn’t do a great job for us,” Sinicki said. “We need to continue to try to find ways to solidify that. I think offensively, we’re swinging the bat pretty well and we need to put those kinds of runs up until what we have is a stable situation out in the bullpen.” Run support has not been a
problem for the Bearcats, as the team leads the AE with 175 runs scored over its 28 games. Leading the charge for the Bearcats are senior outfielders Zach Blanden and Jake Thomas, who have scored a combined 54 runs. Both four-year starters, Blanden’s and Thomas’ play has flourished in the eyes of the head coach, as the two are peaking at the right time. “I think that’s what you need and what you expect out of those types of players,” Sinicki said. “They’ve continued to get better each and every year. They’re capping off their careers right now with outstanding offensive years.” First pitch against NYIT (1020) is set for noon Saturday, with the second game following shortly after. Sunday’s matchup is set to begin at noon. All games will be played at Angelo Lorenzo Memorial Field in Old Westbury, New York.
I think offensively, we're swinging the bat pretty well Emily Earl/Pipe Dream Photographer
Senior outfielder Jake Thomas boasts a .371 batting average entering this weekend’s series at NYIT..
— Tim Sinicki BU head coach
Contributing Writer After its Wednesday doubleheader against Colgate was canceled due to inclement weather, the Binghamton softball team is headed to Maryland this weekend for a three-game series at UMBC. The Bearcats (14-16, 5-5 America East) have played .500 ball of late, going 5-5 over their last 10 games. Yet it’s difficult to hone in on a definite weakness for the Bearcats, as they have maintained a powerful offense with an effective defense so far this season. BU’s starting lineup consists of five players batting above .300, with junior catcher Lisa Cadogan leading the team with a .415 clip. On the other end, junior pitcher Cara Martin has led Binghamton on the hill with a 3.86 earned run average and a 7-4 record. Despite their individual stat lines, the Bearcats have struggled on the road in 2015. Binghamton is 3-8 in true road contests, but has accumulated a 9-5 record at neutral sites and a 2-3 mark in Vestal. Those results place the Bearcats on the fence with the fifth spot in the AE standings, which is just one spot outside of the postseason tournament. This weekend is the first of the season that the Bearcats will clash with the Retrievers (21-20, 7-2 AE). With the freshmen duo of outfielder Jessica Rutherford — the reigning AE Rookie of the Week — and infielder Kate Richard coming off of a successful outing against Albany on Sunday, BU
Caroline Sardella/Contributing Photographer
Junior pitcher Cara Martin leads the BU pitching staff with a 7-4 record and a 3.86 ERA heading into this weekend’s doubleheader against UMBC.
looks to keep the irons hotheaded into this weekend. “We had really good momentum and energy on Sunday,” BU head coach Michelle Burrell said. “We were in it from the first pitch to the last pitch.” Both squads carry active bats into the weekend series. While BU has batted an average .309 and hit 29 home runs so far on the year, the Retrievers have almost equaled those numbers. UMBC holds a cumulative team batting average
of .300, with a total of 25 home runs on this season. While the end of the season is still a ways away, if the Bearcats aim to jump out of fifth and clinch, every win will count. The first pitch of the series is set for 1 p.m. Saturday with a second game directly following. The series is scheduled to conclude on Sunday with first pitch at noon. All games will be played at the UMBC Softball Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.