Spring 2016 Issue 16

RASA

Pipe Dream sits down with

VON WERDER

SEE PAGES 5 & 7

Celebrating 70 Years as the Free Word on Campus

Friday, March 18, 2016 | Vol. LXXXIX, Issue 16 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

BU Sodexo workers get new contract

Club brings local kids on trips

UPSEU 1222 signs 2-year deal with wage hike, benefits

SUNY Kids partners city youth with BU student volunteers

Amy Donovan

Contributing Writer

Carla Sinclair Assistant News Editor

A little over a week after students and workers took to the Spine to protest, Sodexo and the union representing its Binghamton University employees have reached a tentative contract.

The company and representatives from United Professional and Services Employees Union (UPSEU) 1222 agreed on a contract around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, according to labor representative Paul Iachetta.

Iachetta said the agreement addressed the issues they had been pressing for, including hourly wage increases for higher-skilled, or classified, workers.

These issues were part of the reason that negotiations stalled for weeks, as Sodexo representatives had initially refused the requests.

“We’ve got increases that range from 50 cents to a $1.75 an hour for more skilled positions,” he said. “That was a big one. That was the issue throughout the campaign, what with minimum wage going up. We wanted to make sure there was some incentive for workers to move up and get better at their jobs.”

Other concessions included shift differentials, meaning extra

SEE CONTRACT PAGE 2

The CFA team, which consisted of BU students Eric Dohn, Liam Hayes, Brandon Hohenberg, Robert Pim and Ronick Sanon, will advance to the Americas Regional round in Chicago this April. This round will host teams from across North and South America, and if BU wins, they will be eligible to compete in the Global Final.

“To be able to compete at this level and advance to the national competition

Roller skating, bowling and the zoo are just a few trips that Binghamton University students can take weekly with underprivileged children in the area.

SUNY Kids is a student-created and student-run club at BU, formerly known as the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, that picks up children via school bus at designated stops and brings them on trips around Binghamton and Johnson City.

Participating children are found through an application process by Broome County Social Services. Around 30 kids go on a trip each week, and range in age from 5 to 13.

Amy Gee, the vice president of SUNY Kids and a senior majoring in accounting, said the club’s purpose is to provide the children with a safe place and an older person to look up to.

“SUNY Kids is important because we work with solely foster or underprivileged kids, so kids that might not have as much as some other kids,” Gee said. “We bring them to a safe environment where they can interact with and have a role model.

We take an interest in their lives.”

According to Gee, any student can volunteer for a SUNY Kids trip if they sign up for the club’s Listserv. Each week the club sends out an email asking for

SEE SOM PAGE 4

SEE KIDS PAGE 4

Tamar Ashdot-Bari/Pipe Dream Photographer Pictured: The CFA team, which consisted of BU students Eric Dohn, Liam Hayes, Brandon Hohenberg, Robert Pim and Ronick Sanon. Two Binghamton University School of Management (SOM) teams are about to head to national business competitions after winning the regional rounds.

SOM teams head to nationals

Students compete in finance, business analysis competitions Brendan Zarkower Pipe Dream News

Two Binghamton University School of Management (SOM) teams are about to head into a national business spotlight after winning the regional rounds of intercollegiate business competitions.

Within the last month, two SOM teams have taken first place in two state-wide competitions. One team won the New York Regional round of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Research Challenge, which

is a finance competition. Teams conduct a hypothetical financial analysis of a publicly traded company, and present the report to Wall Street executives.

A second team won the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS) Supply Chain Competition, which asks teams to analyze a business’ operational “back-end,” or the behindthe-scenes operations such as inventory management. The teams are judged on the quality of their analyses and their presentations.

Immigration rhetoric examined Group discusses controversial election season commentary

Zachary Wingate Pipe Dream News

With current United States political dialogue focusing on undocumented immigration, the Thurgood Marshall Pre-law Society (TMPS) held a general body (GB) meeting to discuss recent presidential election rhetoric and legal affairs surrounding undocumented immigrants.

Aminah Ali, the president of TMPS and a senior majoring in politics, philosophy and law, said they wanted to host the meeting because of Donald Trump’s and other candidates’ inflammatory language and proposed policies regarding undocumented immigration.

“I just want people to be aware that this rhetoric and these speeches are extremely violent,” Ali said. “We felt,

as the only pre-law group on campus, that we had to talk about how it affects policies.”

Ali said that pervasive myths, often trumpeted by presidential candidates, include the stereotypes that undocumented immigrants steal American jobs, strain the economy by not paying taxes and have no legal rights.

“People don’t think that they have rights because they came undocumented — because they are marginalized people,” Ali said. “This GB was to highlight the fact that yes, they do have rights and what we can do as a group to give these people a voice.”

During the hour-long meeting, TMPS discussed rights for undocumented immigrants have such as the fourth and 14th amendments, which protect against search and seizure

and citizenship rights, respectively.

They also discussed hospital policies mandating treatment for anyone in a life-threatening situation, no matter their documentation status.

Legal repercussions of implemented and proposed immigration policies were also discussed, such as an AmericaMexico border wall and the Arizona Senate Bill 1070, which authorizes police to demand proof of citizenship based purely on suspicion.

Prince Grant, a junior majoring in English, said he appreciated the discussion describing differences between various pathways to citizenship.

“I liked how they showed laws of immigration and the distinction between naturalization and green cards,” Grant said. “I thought it brought a lot of

SEE TMPS PAGE 2

Rights explained for victims of violence UPD, Ombudsman among campus resources for students Michelle Kraidman Pipe Dream News

Interpersonal violence is frequently discussed on college campuses, but in the case of an actual incident, what to do can be unclear. Students gathered in Old Union Hall on Tuesday night to learn about the resources that Binghamton University offers for victims.

A panel of representatives from campus resources talked about the different services available. Panel participants included University Ombudsman Bathabile Mthombeni and members from the University Police Department (UPD), University Counseling Center (UCC), Residential Life, Office of Student Conduct, Title IX and the Dean of Students Office.

See page 6

BU alum uses art as memory loss therapy

Mthombeni moderated the panel, and began by explaining that her role as Ombudsman is to listen to student’s concerns and connect them with resources on campus. Unless she perceives that there is an imminent threat, she said conversations remain completely confidential. She assured that her goal, which is shared by all campus resources, is to make sure students are safe.

“We are striving for a campus and community in which everybody practices consent — all the time, every time,” Mthombeni said. “Unfortunately, there are some pretty terrible things that can happen, and we want to make sure that people understand what they can do next, so that they can make the best use of

We feel like ... students on campus don't get Christina Muscatello's Memory Maker enough of this Project includes painting, art gallery visits exercise the minds of those afflicted.

Peter Brockwell Through facilitating conversations, information trips and social interactions, the

SEE RIGHTS PAGE 2

SEE MEMORY PAGE 2

ARTS & CULTURE

Don’t be in pain — take care of your beard burn,

Raquel Panitz/Pipe Dream Photographer Pictured: Christina Muscatello, a 2005 alumna and the founder of the Memory Maker Project. A third of people over 65 years old will experience some form of memory loss, and the local nonprofit is using art as a way to help improve memory.

Contributing Writer

— Nicholas Romero BU Senior

A third of people over 65 years old will experience some form of memory loss. A local nonprofit, founded by a Binghamton University alum, is using art as a way to help them reconnect with their memories.

The Memory Maker Project aims to

OPINIONS

HPC shakes up Shakespeare with “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,”,

See page 6

organization aims to keep participants’ minds active and engaged. Christina Muscatello, the founder of the Memory Maker Project, is a Binghamton native who graduated from BU in 2005 with a

SPORTS

The Editorial Board applauds the Sodexo-Union agreement,

Baseball to take on UPenn in four-game series this weekend,

Golf set to open spring season at William & Mary,,

See page 8

See page 11

See page 12

2

NEWS

bupipedream.com | March 18, 2016

Students analyze politics of immigration Sodexo, workers agree to contract People don't think TMPS FROM PAGE 1

facts to the table.”

Meeting attendees also deliberated on presidential candidates’ specific opinions on immigration. Organizers showed quotes from candidates and had the audience guess who said what. Many people were shocked at a quote belonging to Ted Cruz, where he called for a tripling of border security, surveillance and biometric border tracking.

According to Damali

Lambertbessor, a junior majoring in English, many people guessed incorrectly, making the meeting a useful medium for candidate and election information.

“I feel like I was getting an update on the presidential debates,” Lambertbessor said.

“We’re electing people pretty soon and we need to know exactly what they stand for.’”

Ali said that she would like to see students take a more active stance on undocumented immigration, and hopes they

will educate themselves on immigration statistics and policies. She also said she would like students speaking with those they know who are connected to undocumented immigrants, or are immigrants themselves.

“Even if you yourself are a documented citizen this still affects you,” Ali said. “This is a human rights issue. If at least one person in here is like, ‘OK, I’m going to go Google what exactly immigration reform is,’ then we’ve done our job.”

they have rights because they came undocumented — Damali Lambertbessor BU Junior

CONTRACT FROM PAGE 1 compensation for those on-theclock outside of normal work hours, added vacation days for those who have worked at BU for more than 20 years and a more comprehensive health care plan.

The plan, which includes dental and eye care, will also be offered to them for about $15 a week opposed to the prior weekly fee of $38.

The contract still needs to be ratified, which Sodexo Resident Dining Manager Jim Ruoff said should happen without issue. It would span from Jan. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2017. The contract also includes retroactive payment for when workers were on the clock without a contract, beginning last May until this April.

“It gives the workers a sense of security, that their jobs are safe, and benefits they can save some money on,” Iachetta said.

“And they’re going to be making more money.”

Marketplace worker Mark Myers said he was ecstatic about the agreement.

“I’m happy about what I’m hearing,” he said. “It’s a great thing for people who don’t have insurance, and takes a toll off the workers. I’m happy.”

Ruoff said Sodexo was pleased with the negotiation’s outcome as well.

“Sodexo is proud [of] our longstanding partnership with the University and we appreciate the patience of the faculty, staff, administration and students as we worked through negotiations,” he wrote in an email. “Most importantly, we thank the hourly employees at Sodexo Dining Services for their hard work and continued

dedication to the Binghamton University Community, which never wavered throughout the entire process.”

Over the course of the past few weeks, a number of students and faculty members had marched in protests, signed petitions and voiced their discontent over the stalled negotiations. Iachetta said this was a factor in bringing Sodexo back to the bargaining table.

“I think the pressure from the students played a key part,” he said. “Sodexo came back and made reasonable offers and we negotiated in good faith, and they did as well. We were able to come to an agreement. We worked ‘til about 10 o’clock the other night, and everything worked out well.”

Alex Grabstein, a protest organizer and junior majoring in environmental studies, said he was happy with the benefits that the workers earned.

“I think this outcome displays the strength of people working in concert together,” he said.

“Hopefully the friendships we built remain strong in the future.”

On behalf of the University, Vice President for Student Affairs Brian Rose said he was thankful that the two parties were able to come to an agreement.

“I also thank all Sodexo employees (workers and management alike) for continuing to provide outstanding service to the campus while you were all working through the collective bargaining process,” he wrote in an email. “Finally, I’m proud of the many students who took an interest in the matter and gave their own voices to the process.

You were heard.”

UPD, ResLife talk Alum combats memory loss with art victims' resources Raquel Panitz/Pipe Dream Photographer Pictured: Christina Muscatello, Memory Maker project founder. The Memory Maker Project aims to exercise minds of those experiencing some form of memory loss.

MEMORY FROM PAGE 1 degree from the individualized major program.

Muscatello founded the organization in May of 2014 with the help of Kim Evanoski, a local social worker certified to work with people suffering from dementia. As one of only a handful of like-minded organizations in the country,

and the only one within 300 miles of Binghamton, the Memory Maker Project hopes to improve quality of life for those with memory loss.

“After a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or another kind of memory loss, the focus of a person’s life can become the diagnosis and its limitations,” Muscatello said. “The Memory Maker Project uses art and

'BMM

culture to magnify individuals’ abilities, recognizing that people need meaning and joy, regardless of their diagnosis.”

Different activities the organization hosts include painting projects, gallery viewings and interactive plays. Muscatello incorporates techniques she learned in graduate school at Leslie University and while working for ARTZ: Artists for Alzheimer’s in Boston. These methods include asking open-ended questions and engaging participants with a narrative that loops back every few minutes to account for their memory issues.

Dara Riegel, Muscatello’s sister and the president of the Memory Maker Project’s advisory board, said that the “Out and About” events, which bring memory loss participants to different locations like galleries and bookstores, energize and excite them.

“When they came in, they were very quiet … neither talking to each other nor to their care partners,” Reigel said. “Once the program got going, however, I saw firsthand what Christina meant when she said they ‘came alive!’ As she asked them questions about the painting in front of them, they all gave their opinions, talked about old memories, sang songs, discussed their past experiences and generally came alive. The art inspired them, but so did the conversation.”

The Memory Maker Project is sponsored by the Cornell Center for Transformative Action, which helps fund and mentor the program as it continues to grow. This growth is further supported by donors from the Binghamton community, including Christ Church and the Brunelli Gallery in Downtown Binghamton. They

supply free space whenever the organization wants to host events or display student artwork.

On campus, the Alpha Delta Phi Literary Society chose the organization for its current philanthropic pursuit, and is looking to raise awareness about the project at BU. “The privilege of not facing cognitive or physical barriers while accessing the cultural assets of New York’s Southern Tier largely goes unnoticed,” said Claire Petrosino, the philanthropic chair of the society and a junior doublemajoring in psychology and human development. “It is crucial to strive for inclusivity when it comes to accessing the art and culture our area has to offer.”

Muscatello said she hopes the project continues to expand, allowing more people facing memory loss to engage with culture and the arts.

“Adults are adults,” she said.

“And this is preserving people’s abilities to have an active, meaningful engagement with the world and society.”

The Memory Maker Project uses art and culture to magnify individual's abilities — Christina Muscatello Project Founder

RIGHTS FROM PAGE 1 the support that’s available on campus.”

Interpersonal violence occurs when someone uses power or control over someone else through physical, sexual or emotional actions or threats. This can include different forms of assault and rape, and can occur between people regardless of whether they are in a relationship.

UPD officer Matthew Rossie explained that the best thing to do in order to gather evidence of interpersonal violence is to go directly to UPD for an examination.

“From a police point of view, you are the crime scene,” Rossie said. “Don’t alter yourselves, don’t shower or change clothes.

Notify someone right away and get medical attention and they’ll collect evidence and you should protect yourself and that evidence.”

Andrew Baker, the Title IX coordinator, explained that his office aims to protect students from sex-based discrimination.

Doris Cheung, a case manager in the Dean of Students Office, said that once students come to talk to her, she represents them to professors and connects them with the UCC. “You can talk to me about any situation and we can brainstorm ideas,” Cheung said. “If you want to make an appointment with the counseling center, I will definitely make the appointment with you, so that when you walk out the door you have a plan, because you have to be brave to seek out help and we have to catch the moment and get things done.”

Nicholas Romero, a Dickinson Community resident assistant (RA) and a senior majoring in biomedical engineering, helped organize the event. He said this event was important because the topic is relevant to college students, but frequently gets ignored.

“We think it’s a very not-well talked-about topic on campus,” Romero said. “We learn about

it in RA training, but we feel like residents and students on campus don’t get enough of this information. We want there to be resources, because there needs to be an increase in activity done on this subject.”

Nusrat Hossain, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, said she felt that the University needs to be more clear with students about available resources.

“They hand so many pins saying consent is mandatory in the beginning of the year, but not many people know what goes behind that or what goes into it,” Hossain said. “It’s really important to be familiar with campus services and I didn’t know who any of these people were before I came and they’re important resources.”

The second part of the event will deal with rights that students have if they are accused of interpersonal violence or are a witness of it.

The talk will take place in Old Union Hall on Tuesday, March 22 at 6 p.m.

Kevin Sussy/Pipe Dream Photographer Students gather in Old Union Hall on Tuesday night to learn about resources Binghamton University offers victims of interpersonal violence.

PAGE III Friday, March 18, 2016

SA special election results finalized Alexandra Mackof News Editor

The Student Association (SA) special election was held on Wednesday, in which students voted on a new executive vice president (EVP), SA constitution changes and whether the student activity fee should remain mandatory.

Troy Parker, a sophomore majoring in political science, won the election with a 54.83 percent majority. He received 670 votes in total, while his opponent, Jeremy Rosenberg, received 414 votes, making up 33.88 percent.

In his platform, Parker expressed his interest in keeping up with the EVP office’s current initiatives while also being available to the student body. Parker has been an assistant to the EVP, a member of the constitutional review committee and a Newing College representative for SA Congress.

Parker said he was pleased with his win, and said he plans to continue the EVP office’s efforts as well as tie up loose ends as the semester comes to a close.

“I’d like to say thank you to the Binghamton students for electing me EVP,” Parker said.

“I hope to continue the great work Zach [Vigliani] and Naomi [Barnett] have started and end this year on a good note for the SA. My goals are to finish new policies coming out of the office, make the ITC process more transparent and continue the communication with SA organizations to fostering their growth.”

Naomi Barnett, the interim EVP and a senior doublemajoring in English and business administration, said that Parker’s experience will be

an asset to the office.

“Troy has been an assistant in the office since August, and has been especially invested in writing new legislation for the SA,” she said. “Having a hand in the Intent to Charter process has given him a wealth of knowledge regarding the process, which he can use in the final months as a few groups become SAchartered organizations. I’m looking forward to working closely with Troy through the re-registration process and the approval of the legislation that has been developed by the EVP office throughout the year.”

Voters also cast ballots in favor of or against the $99 student activity fee. An 82.44 percent majority opted to keep the fee mandatory going into next year. The student activity fee helps to fund the SA and its dependent branches, such as Harpur’s Ferry, Off Campus College Transport (OCCT) and SA-chartered student groups.

Voter participation for the interim election was lower than past elections, with 1,222 students participating. This means that 1,164 students determined the requirements of a fee that affects every undergraduate student’s tuition.

Julie Kline, chair of the planning, research and elections committee and a junior doublemajoring in English and human development, said that regardless of voter numbers, the passing of the student activity fee was extremely important for the SA’s success as a whole.

“The fee really does enable the SA to support the student body,” Kline said. “Its passing ensures that programs will continue to be funded going forward, and that the SA can continue planning for next year.”

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

Battle of the (boy) Bands

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Spring 2016 editor-in-ChieF* Nicolas Vega editor@bupipedream.com MAnAging editor* Emma C Siegel manager@bupipedream.com neWs editor* Alexandra K. Mackof news@bupipedream.com Asst. neWs editors Carla B. Sinclair Pelle Waldron Gabriella Weick oPinions editor* Lawrence Ciulla opinion@bupipedream.com Arts & CuLture editor* Odeya Pinkus arts@bupipedream.com sPorts editor* E.Jay Zarett sports@bupipedream.com Kevin Parades/Pipe Dream Photographer A group of students perform at Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi’s “Lip Sync Battle.” The event was a lip sync competition that raised money for the Sunrise Association, an organization that works to provide care and support to children battling cancer and their families with day camps and in-hospital programs.

Asst. sPorts editors Jeffrey Twitty Orla McCaffrey PhotogrAPhy editor* Franz K. Lino photo@bupipedream.com

Police Watch Double Trouble TUESDAY, Mar. 15, 9:56 p.m. — Police on patrol pulled over a vehicle that ran a stop sign, said Investigator Patrick Reilly of Binghamton’s New York State University Police (UPD). The vehicle was observed going through a stop sign on Bunn Hill Access Road by West Drive. The suspect, a 25-yearold male, was found to have been driving with a license that had been suspended since January of this year. He was given two tickets for failure to stop at a stop sign and for having a suspended driver’s license.

Track-ed Down WEDNESDAY, Mar. 16, 8:45 a.m. — A larceny was reported from the University Union early Wednesday morning, Reilly said. The victim, a 20-year-old female, reported that around 7 p.m. on Tuesday she had set down her bag to go perform at the Union Undergrounds, but when she came back it was not there. The bag contained her books and Microsoft Surface, among other things. Later Wednesday night, a 20-year-old male was caught at the East Gym track stealing items from people on the track. When police spoke with him, he was found to also be in possession of the victim’s

A lighter take on campus crime Derek Schuster Police Correspondant

bag from the night before. The case will be handled through Student Conduct.

Someone Needed a Pong Table WEDNESDAY, Mar. 16, 2:36 p.m. — UPD received a call about a larceny from the West Gym, Reilly said.

The Secretary of Health and Wellness reported that someone had removed a plastic folding table over the weekend from the lobby. The table has been described to be white and about six feet long. The case is still under investigation.

Not a Scam, but Still a Rip-off WEDNESDAY, Mar. 16, 4:28 p.m. — Three people placed separate reports for a suspicious person on Wednesday in the Lecture Hall/Academic A area.

The people claimed there was a man trying to sell tickets to New York comedy clubs for greatly reduced prices and said that they thought it was a scam. A professor also reported that the suspicious person had come into his class and that he had to chase him out of the room. Police were never able to locate a suspect. UPD has contacted the company running the ticket sales as well as one of the comedy clubs involved to confirm that it is not a scam, and that the tickets are legitimate.

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Pipe Line LOCAL NEWS Victims tied up during home invasion A man and his girlfriend were tied up as two suspects ransacked their apartment at 48 Court St., according to the Press and Sun-Bulletin.

Binghamton police responded to a call at around 5 a.m. on Wednesday for a reported home invasion. The man who lived there was assaulted by the suspects, who then tied up the hands of both the man and his girlfriend and covered their heads with pillow cases while

they looked for property to steal. According to does not have a liquor license. The property WBNG Binghamton, the suspects are reported is also connected to two shootings in the as two black males in their early 20s. past few months, including an incident in January where no one was hurt. The building City considering condemning Clinton Street also has no heat, hot water or natural gas. A building condemnation hearing will take place at city Binghamton Mayor Richard David is hall next Monday, March 21, and David said considering condemning 341 Clinton St. if the property is condemned, it could be after numerous complaints from neighbors, demolished. according to WBNG Binghamton. Neighbors report that no one lives in the building, but Broome County ranked 56th of 62 in people often gather there at night, despite healthiest NY counties the fact that the building is not a bar and Broome came in 56 out of 62 counties in

New York state for overall health outcomes, according to the Press and Sun-Bulletin. The study, conducted by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, placed Broome 48th last year and looks at the length and overall quality of life of county residents. Saratoga, Nassau, Rockland, Putnam and Westchester were ranked as the top five state counties for health outcomes.

Broome placed 31st on the list in a second category, which ranks health behaviors such as clinical care, social and economic factors and physical environment.

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 departmental 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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stabilizing: the kevins

16th seed :destabilizing

4

NEWS

bupipedream.com | March 18, 2016

SOM teams compete nationally Students mentor local kids SOM FROM PAGE 1

is a great experience,” the team said in a statement. “We are excited to be the first team in school history to make it to this stage of the competition and are excited to represent Binghamton University at the national level.”

BU has participated in the competition for the past six years, and this team is the first to make it to the Americas Regional round.

The team beat groups from Cornell University, Fordham University, SUNY Albany and around 20 other New York universities.

The team’s adviser, SOM finance professor Dina Layish, said she was proud of the team and looks forward to the next competition.

“All of their hard work has paid off,” Layish wrote in an email. “They

were extremely prepared with their recommendation, as well as with enough knowledge to answer the difficult questions posed by the judges at the local level that took place in New York City. I wish them all the best at the next level of the competition. I know they will continue to make Binghamton University proud.”

At the APICS competition’s Northeast regional round, Binghamton University teams placed in all three of the top spots.

The Binghamton teams managed to beat schools including Rutgers University, University of Connecticut and University at Buffalo. The firstplace team, consisting of David Berlin, Kate Butera, Sam Clarke and Peter Mattar, will move on to the national round in Washington D.C. this September after their success in

the regional round.

“We analyzed a fictional orange juice company and made decisions on the operations side of the business,” said Berlin, a sophomore majoring in business administration. “Using that analysis, we made a PowerPoint presentation and delivered it to the judges and it worked out well for us.”

All three teams in the APICS competition were coached by operations management professor Donald Sheldon. He said he was proud of the teams’ hard work and dedication to the competition.

“I knew we had three very competitive teams going into this competition,” Sheldon said. “They worked very hard since last October to prepare for this event, and we obviously had a lot of fun this weekend as the work paid off.”

KIDS FROM PAGE 1

covers costs of the weekly trips, transportation and Sodexo volunteers, and the first six to lunches. The only events the club eight students who respond can funds itself are their two end-ofattend that week’s trip. the-semester parties, where they SUNY Kids is funded by the have an on-campus celebration Student Association, which and give the kids presents.

Kaitlin Rottkamp, the president of SUNY Kids and a junior doublemajoring in psychology and human development, said that she enjoys the opportunity to hang out with the children while they encounter new experiences.

“My favorite part is going to all these places with the kids and having them try things they’ve never tried before,” Rottkamp — Kaitlin Rottkamp said. “Especially with roller BU Junior skating, it’s really nice to have the kids try that. Just giving them new experiences and seeing how happy they get and proud they get when

We are trying to provide a safe space for these kids

they try things.”

Past experience as a camp counselor is what encouraged Zachary Silverman, the publicity chair of SUNY Kids and a junior majoring in psychology, to get involved in the club. He said that SUNY Kids lets the children embrace and enjoy their childhood.

Rottkamp said that SUNY Kids’ overall goal is to ensure that children have fun and get to spend time with students who genuinely want to help out.

“We are trying to provide a safe place for these kids,” Rottkamp said. “A lot of them are fostered or underprivileged so we just want to give them a really fun day and a safe place to come … where there are people there who want to talk them.”

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ARTS & CULTURE

The life and times of Rasa Von Werder

Franz Lino/Photography Editor From top to bottom, clockwise; and the bottom left of page 7: Rasa Von Werder poses in her Binghamton apartment; Von Werder dancing for a crowd; Von Werder flexing her muscles; Von Werder looking in a mirror; Von Werder protesting at The White House.

Blonde, brash and hell-bent on change, this local legend can't be stopped Odeya Pinkus Arts & Culture Editor “Can you refill my beer?”

I am asked this mid-afternoon, before I walk over to a refrigerator to refill a chalice. Inside this cooler lies some mayonnaise, sausages, cans of beer and various other odds and ends. From the contents of this refrigerator, it looks as if nobody lives here, and in some ways, nobody does. Yet the drinks still belong to someone, as does the refrigerator. The owner in question is Rasa Von Werder, and this somewhat-empty refrigerator is located in her Binghamton, New York apartment. But this space is not always lived in, because Rasa doesn’t always live in Binghamton.

This is not something I ever knew — but then again, I also never really knew Rasa.

For those who might not know this local legend, there really is no way to sum her up. Rasa Von Werder is, without a doubt, a Binghamton icon. With big, bleach blonde hair, fierce eye makeup and Downtown-ready clothing, Von Werder bar hops with the best of them — although she goes to Uncle Tony’s to relax. Her favorite drink is Coors Light; she flirts with guys, gets hugs from girls and dances the night away like any local student. But she isn’t a student. And she was born in 1945.

At 70 years old, Von Werder is a woman who seems unabashedly confident, is wildly upfront and says things that will make you blush so hard that your ancestors feel it. She is a woman of many names and many talents. Von Werder is also known by her stage name, Kellie Everts, and her business card says “The Prodigy.”

She is spiritually devout, won Playboy’s Miss Nude Universe in 1968 and according to her, Nancy Reagan came to her in a dream.

She is on countless senior bucket lists and freshmen hope to run into her from their first night out on State Street. But while students see her during peak bar hours, Rasa Von Werder lives her life 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and doesn’t let anyone stop her. It’s easy to look at her and

say she was always the woman and is waiting to see this number she is, but in her 70 years, she has grow. experienced much more than the “All I’ll have to do is live 20 walk from Venue to Dillinger’s. more years and I’ll have greatgreat-grandchildren,” she says.

EARLY LIFE Von Werder laughs as she describes her life to me, but when Von Werder was born in discussing her past jobs, it became Germany, to parents of Lithuanian, clear that she’s been through a Russian and Mongolian descent. lot. According to Von Werder, her After escaping Stalin’s regime mother was abusive. without identification, her family “Whenever I would get a job, was eventually put into a displaced she wanted me to be at home, person’s camp. She shows me, the being the slave,” Von Werder says. photographer and videographer “Her whole idea was to keep me scars on her left shoulder, leftover powerless.” from the vaccinations she was She became the scapegoat and given there at the age of four and target of the family, because she a half. refused to hate her dad as her “It wasn’t a concentration mom had wished. camp but you had to do as you And through the troubles in were told,” Von Werder explains. her home life, her school life Eventually, her family was able suffered as well. to escape to America when she was “I became very rebellious five through a connection with the through all this because I was Dean of Columbia University; her suffering,” Von Werder says. uncle was his chauffeur. Her father “When you are suffering, your opened up a Lithuanian school, behavior changes.” where she went every Saturday, in Von Werder says that she addition to her Catholic Catechism was truant in school, unable to class every Sunday. It was this concentrate and often ditching Christian education that made an to go hang out with older men. impression on her like none other. Eventually, she was expelled, “[The nuns] taught me faith, which she believes is partially they taught me how to pray, they because the school thought she taught me what Jesus and Mary, was having an affair with the arts who they were,” Von Werder says. and crafts teacher. (She says she “They taught me about themselves, did flirt with him, but there was the nuns, that they were married no affair, and he eventually dated to The Lord … as a little kid, I her sister.) mean, I was very impressed.”

From here she went to live with Von Werder’s family soon her dad in Brooklyn, New York. Her moved to Newark, New Jersey, new school only brought about where she says her mother made a new tortures and, upon finishing, “scandal” in the community. she knew she had to get out.

“She had an affair with the Since the age of 15, Rasa knew priest … she got tired of him so that she wanted to model, and then she had an affair with the began searching for connections. organist,” Rasa says, finishing the At 16 was put in contact with thought with a laugh.

Andre de Dienes, Hollywood While her father stayed in the photographer of Marilyn Monroe. city, the rest of her family moved “I answered the door butt naked to a farm in New Jersey, where to make sure he would notice me,” they were joined by the organist Von Werder laughs. “I was trying and Rasa’s soon-to-be-born sister.

As far as family goes, Von Werder has two sisters, a brother and one child, who, as she puts it, was “prolific” at having children.

At this point, Von Werder says that she has three grandchildren, at least four great-grandchildren,

to win his interest. It worked.”

He said he would take her to California and make her a Playboy centerfold, and asked if she could be at the Chelsea Hotel the next day at 6 a.m.

The next day, Von Werder walked to the hotel with only 50 cents in her hand, which she soon gave to a homeless person.

Von Werder says she thought to herself, “What’s the difference?

Either I’ll make it or I won’t make it. So I made it.”

After three weeks with him, he said he was getting rid of her.

“I don’t remember what the hell his reasons were, but basically it’s because I wouldn’t have sex with him,” she says.

After leaving her in Venice, California with only $60 that he owed her, Von Werder eventually made it on her own, finding a cheap (and terrible) rooming house, bleaching her hair and walking the beaches of California.

It was here that she met her first husband — an abusive partner — with whom she had a child. And while she eventually left him, Von Werder says she went back a few years after to care for him as he battled cancer.

“They say no good deed goes unpunished,” she says. “My reward for that was he knew he was going to die, and just before he died he called up to cancel his life insurance and left the baby and me penniless.”

CAREER BEGINNINGS AND SUCCESSES

that’s very painful.”

But at least financially, Von Werder bounced back.

“By the age of 20 I had a house in Beverly Hills, I had a live-in maid for the weekends, because I had my child … and a Lincoln Continental in the driveway.”

According to her, it was a deeply passionate spirituality that kept her afloat through her tough years.

“I have to say that my own parents gave me the tools to withstand pain, torture, etc., with the education that I had by sending me to Catechism,” Von Werder says. “Those are the tools by which I survived. It wasn’t belief in a world, it wasn’t belief in people, it was a belief in God, in Jesus, Mary and the saints, and following in their footsteps.”

Von Werder has spent much of her life dedicated to these teachings. She has had her own storefront church on Oak Street; she spent a winter preaching on the streets of Binghamton with a megaphone. She claims that in 1978, her “Lady of Fatima” speech in front of The White House prevented a third world war.

So what exactly does Rasa preach?

To be clear, Rasa does much more than just preach. She is the founder of her own church, is a “yoga guru” and claims that she is the “mothergod” incarnate. As one of the hallmarks of her beliefs, Rasa believes in a matriarchal religion.

Her feminism extends far past

believing in female empowerment (Although on her website, there is a box that says: “pray Hillary into office”).

Von Werder has complex ideologies with a rooted principle: that women should rule the world, and that the patriarchy needs to be replaced.

She says that originally, women were in charge, but when men turned on women, the world began to turn for the worst; she believes genocides and atrocities began when men gained power.

“The man doesn’t have the emotional, mental capacity to rule the family and the world,” Von Werder says. “The result of him ruling the family and the world is that today they have brought us to the brink of annihilation.”

Von Werder claims to have around 5,000 followers, some of whom, she says, build altars to her in their homes.

She believes that the Y-chromosome is crumbling and in 100,000 years women will reproduce without men.

“Men are not necessary anymore,” she explains.

But her beliefs don’t end there.

Von Werder focuses on taking the misogyny out of religion and putting sacredness back into sex. For her, women have been subjected to a double-standard for far too long.

“We’re supposed to love sex,”

SEE RASA PAGE 7

Von Werder said that she had five dollars after she buried him.

She needed to support herself and her child, and for her, dancing was the answer.

“I am not suggesting that I was Superwoman during these years … I was a walking wounded girl … men treat you as a sex object,

Photos provided

6

ARTS & CULTURE

bupipedream.com | March 18, 2016

Queen Latifah to 'bring down the house'

The entertainer will speak in Osterhout Shauna Bahssin Owens, is a musician, actress, Staff Writer producer and talk show host. She has starred in movies such as the Royalty will be coming to 2007 adaptation of “Hairspray,” Binghamton University on April the 2003 movie “Bringing Down 4 when Queen Latifah comes to The House” and the 2004 film speak at the Osterhout Concert “Taxi.”

The Grammy-Award Theater. winner is largely regarded for her Queen Latifah, born Dana beginnings as a hip-hop artist.

She has also received numerous other accolades, such as two Screen Actors Guild Awards, an Emmy and a BET Award.

This year, the Black Student Union (BSU), the Student Association and other student groups were asked who they would like to see speak the most, and Queen Latifah was a name that quickly showed promise.

It will follow in the steps of a similar event from last spring, in which Spike Lee spoke after being invited to campus by BSU and Campus Activities.

The Osterhout Concert Theater will provide for an “intimate” setting for the talk, supporting an audience of 1,100 viewers. Attendees will

The Osterhout Concert Theater will provide for an “intimate” setting for the talk

be able to watch an hour-long moderated discussion chaired

by Jazell Johnson, the assistant director of case management and budgeting from the Dean of Students office. Latifah will be discussing her career in the entertainment industry, as well as her life as a black woman in the business. After the first hour, the discussion will open up to the general audience for a 30-minute Q&A session.

Campus Activities has been working on bringing Queen Latifah to speak at BU for four months, and hopes that this kind of speech can become an annual event with each spring semester.

Though some students conveyed indifference over the celebrity coming to campus, many expressed excitement for the upcoming event.

“I’m excited to see Queen Latifah — I’ve loved her films,” said Brian Neggie, an undeclared freshman. “She’s the most famous person to come to campus since we’ve been at

Photos Provided

Binghamton.”

Other students felt that as the speech will happen right after Women’s History Month, Queen Latifah will be even more influential to the students who

attend.

“I really feel like [this event] will be such an inspiration to women on campus — especially black women,” said Ajayi Anthony, a sophomore majoring

in biomedical engineering.

A free ticket will be available for each student with their BU ID, and will become available at the Anderson Center box office this Monday at noon.

HPC goes behind the curtain in new show

A new perspective on 'Hamlet' in 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead' Nicholas Terepka and Shauna Bahssin Arts & Culture This semester, the Hinman Production Company (HPC) brought a full-length existential crisis to their stage with Thomas Stoppard’s “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.”

The play is an absurdist, existentialist adaptation of

Shakespeare’s most beloved tragedy, “Hamlet,” but focuses solely on minor characters Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who spend their time waiting backstage in Shakespeare’s play.

Within the show, characters from the original text drift through the stage to make cameos, and there are clear allusions to the fact that a production of “Hamlet” is occurring simultaneously. The

play has often been compared to Samuel Beckett’s classic existential work, “Waiting for Godot,” as both plays consist of two characters who spend their time pondering the meaning of life and the two leading roles appear to be more of one character rather than two.

However, what makes this production of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” a stand-out adaptation is the

directorial decision to cast multiple actors for each part — in each act, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are played by a different pair of actors.

“The script deals a lot with identity and sense of self, so I decided to make Rosencrantz and Guildenstern three different pairs of people,” said Tom Planamento, a codirector of the play and a senior majoring in history.

This decision brilliantly affects the self-conflict of the play: in each of the three acts, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern philosophize, only to doubt and rescind their prior statements.

Nowhere in the play is this more obvious than in their discussion of death: in one act, they fear and recoil at the thought of it, but in the next, they embrace it.

In many ways, staging this

play breaks a lot of boundaries for HPC. The show has a particularly large cast for a drama and for the first time, HPC brought on both a fight choreographer and a costume designer to the creative team.

This production also includes a musical element, a new addition to Stoppard’s play.

SEE BUPIPEDREAM.COM FOR FULL STORY

Don't get burned: troubles of a bearded kiss How to take care of your wounded skin, and keep your beard safe for others to smooch Kara Brown Arts & Culture

up with what feels like rug burn on your chin and a layer of skin missing from the tip of your Kissing should be painless nose is not something anyone and enjoyable for both parties should have to endure. Whether involved. That being said, waking you want to call it beard burn or

’stache rash, it’s an obnoxiously painful irritation that can result from kissing a guy with facial hair. Still, no one should have to choose between clear skin and a good time, so here are a few

Kevin Sussy/Pipe Dream Photographer Beard burn is painful, but it’s an affliction that can be avoided.

things both you and your guy can do to treat and prevent this problem.

Beard burn tends to happen 2-3 days after a guy shaves. At this point, his stubble is extremely sharp and can wreak havoc on a delicate, hairless face. The only surefire way to prevent any degree of beard burn is for him to either shave it off or tape cloth over his beard. Unfortunately, he might protest the former, and the latter might kill the mood.

Dry skin comes off easier than hydrated skin, so the best you can do is generously moisturize your chin, the skin around your mouth and the tip of your nose.

You’ll still experience some irritation, but to a lesser degree.

Prime your face with a thick, non-scented moisturizer, like Cetaphil. You may also want to consider going light on the amount of makeup you wear. As his beard rips your face open, anything on your skin will be able to go deeper, thus exacerbating the irritation. That being said, your bearded partner should make sure to keep his facial hair clean; his beard can get really gross, especially after eating. The last thing you need is the soy

sauce from his lunch acting as an exfoliation aid.

In addition to keeping it clean, regular shampooing and conditioning of his beard will make it softer. Normal shampoo and conditioner are too harsh for the face, so suggest he lather up with baby shampoo. If you’re feeling especially loving or just desperate for a resolution, you can gift him a DIY beard conditioner.

Fable Naturals shared a recipe that involves mixing four parts unrefined shea butter, two parts olive oil, one part beeswax and an optional few drops of an oil like eucalyptus or cedar. Microwave the mixture in small increments until it’s melted and then place in a small, resealable container to cool and store.

Of course, if you’re postface-maul, it’s too late for these preventative tips. Your chin skin is a texture you never knew it could be and applying moisturizer feels like the devil licking your face. Keeping the area clean and moisturized is imperative for a speedy recovery, but you’ll want to avoid any harsh products.

Skip your anti-acne exfoliating wash and opt for something like Neutrogena’s Ultra Gentle face

wash in the creamy formula. Not only will it be easy on your skin, but it will also aid in hydration.

For moisturizer, steer clear of anything scented or drying.

Sticking with Neutrogena, try their Oil-Free Moisture in the sensitive-skin formula. If you’re looking for something to soothe the burning, Burt’s Bees’ Sensitive Night Cream contains aloe, which has cooling properties that will calm the skin.

The most helpful thing you can do is communicate with your bearded partner. If he’s oblivious to the problem and has somehow failed to notice that your chin is consistently red post-romp, you have to tell him. Unless he’s inconsiderate, he should want you to enjoy kissing him. If he finds out that the pleasure is somewhat of a one-way street, he should want to help remedy the issue.

At the end of the day, if you really like him and his hot beard, beard burn is bound to happen. But, it doesn’t have to be unbearable. Beauty is pain and, even if it’s not your beauty that you’re paying for, it’s somewhat worth it.

March 18, 2016 | bupipedream.com

7

ARTS & CULTURE

Irish dancing event steps into Anderson

The traditional show highlights struggle between good and evil in recent performance Odeya Pinkus Arts & Culture Editor For those who were stuck in a limbo between Parade Day and St. Patrick’s Day, the Anderson Center for Performing Arts provided ticket holders with a lively and entertaining expose of Irish culture.

“Rhythm of the Night, The Irish Dance Spectacular,” brought audiences to their feet on Thursday with the fancy footwork of traditional Irish step dancing.

For those who are familiar with Michael Flatley’s “Lord of the Dance,” this was incredibly similar; understandable, as members of its creative team have also worked on “Lord of the Dance.”

The show opened on somewhat of a dark tone, with an army of stepping soldiers marching out.

For those unaccustomed to this type of show, this presentation of Irish dancing might not be what was expected, but it was entertaining all the same. There was a plot that carried the show throughout, but even if you couldn’t follow along, the themes of good and evil were prominent, exposed through costume and music. In a “Star Wars” type fashion, the bad characters were veiled with masks and introduced with intense music; you knew who the good guys were by an immediate change in the tone

of the show.

The plot follows the trials of a kingdom that has been overtaken by an evil sorceress, Azura, who has captured the hero of the kingdom, Balor. From then on, it is a battle between good and evil, with themes of seduction and heroism carrying through as Balor’s lover, Aisling, and his brother Solas, attempt to save the kingdom. And while the plot was entertaining, the true captivating moments were located in the dance. If you weren’t completely awestruck by the fancy footwork, you weren’t paying attention.

With taps, leaps and intricate formations, the 21 members of the dance troupe brought their heart to the stage, and in some cases even off. At a point the show became somewhat interactive, with Balor going into the audience. One audience member was particularly impressed by his performance, especially due to his muscular figure. ”The show was absolutely amazing, the dancers were superb and the whole cast — well, the lead in the show was a surprise,” said Nonie Saroka, of Greene, NY. “He was so big and yet he could move so quickly and so gracefully.”

The dance show is a traveling performance and was put together in a short time. According to Annie Profeta, who played the lead Aisling, they learned the steps

Kaely Hankison/Contributing Photographer “Rhythm of the Night, The Irish Dance Spectacular” is performed at The Anderson Center for Performing Arts. This show featured the fancy footwork of traditional Irish step dancing reminiscent of Michael Flatley’s “Lord of the Dance.”

on their own at home, and then collaborated over the course of one week of practices. The touring company features dancers from all

over the world, from Milwaukee to perform for three weeks with only New Zealand. This show is their a few days off, but this being said, fourth, and they will soon perform their work is their passion. along the East Coast. The dancers “I love performing,” Profeta

said. “All the hard work you put in — it’s just so gratifying once you get on stage and everyone enjoys the show.”

Local sex icon is more than meets the eye RASA FROM PAGE 5

she says. “We’re supposed to say, ‘yeah I wanna fuck five guys tonight! Anybody who doesn’t like it, fuck yourself! It’s my body, I can do whatever I want!’”

But it’s clear that Von Werder doesn’t just want to get rid of this stigma — she wants to crush it with a fiery passion. She wants women to enjoy multiple partners

and to not be afraid of getting slut-shamed.

“We have as much right as [men] have,” Von Werder says.

“They think they can have fun, they think they can spread their wild oats and do smash and dash, and fuck em’ and duck em’, they think they can do that. We can do it just as much they can.”

Von Werder also feels strongly that even physically, women are

more sexually capable than men.

“If we want to exercise our rights, sexually, we can do more shit than they can,” she says. “We can fuck more than they can.”

Another belief of Rasa’s includes the trope of “older woman, younger man.” She believes that young men need an older woman to help and guide them, especially if they are interested in the business

of modeling. This guidance for models is something that Rasa can, and does, help them with.

One of her current endeavors is photography, and she says she is self-taught in Photoshop — having practiced five hours a night for two years. Since 2012, Von Werder says she has taken and edited thousands of photos of “the most handsome and beautiful men in the world.” Some of these photos have gone into her most recent book, a large coffee table photo book called “America’s Most Beautiful Man.” ON STUDY AND EDUCATION

Photos Provided

This type of work ethic seems to be a common theme in the life of the icon. She says that her form of study was reading.

“My father told me one mantra, one bit of advice,” Von Werder says. “He said you must study …

I studied psychology, I studied mystical theology, I studied the lives of the saints, I studied the lives of the great people.”

For Rasa, studying was a cure. She says she read for three hours a day, every day, until she went half blind in the 1990s.

She then moved to audiobooks and videotapes, and later got eye surgery. Through these tapes

Pre-Veterinary Society Weekly meetings: Mondays at 8pm in the New Union Room 324. Any and all are welcome, especially animal lovers and pre-vet students!

she took courses on things like exorcisms and herbs.

SO WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO KNOW ABOUT RASA?

In all honesty, a book could be written about this woman. I could talk about how she said she saw Betty Friedan in a bar, or how she says she has her eye on twin college guys she met on State Street.

Or I could tell you that she tries to eat raw vegetables and foods, and that she tries to stay away from meat. She believes in love, she has taken 50 vitamins a day since the age of 19 and has been using oil on her face every night for 30 years.

She is focused on her health, and on her connection with God. And while she might be a walking contradiction to most, she looks back on her accomplishments with pride.

“Very few people,” she says, “can do the shit I’ve done.”

She believes that young men need an older woman to help and guide them

OPINIONS Friday, March 18, 2016

Therapy should not limit identity

Mental health diagnosis does not define one's self-worth, personality Kara Bilello

Contributing Columnist

A SQUARE DEAL Last Tuesday, students stood alongside workers from the United Professional and Service Employees Union (UPSEU) 1222 to protest stagnated contract negotiations for Sodexo’s employees.

Having been employed without a contract since last May, the workers were fighting for pay increases and comprehensive healthcare plans. This week, UPSEU 1222 and Sodexo representatives reached an agreement granting workers better health insurance, increased vacation time and higher pay for more skilled employees. This contract will be valid through May 2017.

Last week, we discussed how the workers are members of our campus community and that student support for their cause was necessary. They are the smiling faces that have been helping us since our first days at

BU, and some have even worked on this campus for over 20 years.

They deserve to work under fair conditions, and we are pleased to see that this new contract will ensure their stability.

The timing of this agreement can only be described as uncanny.

Negotiations had been underway for months with no avail, but in the days following student involvement a conclusion was reached. Student voices can hold weight and power — as Vice President of Student Affairs Brian Rose said, “you were heard.” And we agree: students spoke out, and change ensued.

We can’t help but consider how students at one university

managed to help sway a global corporation like Sodexo. But in a world where online media is increasing communication efficiency, protests have even more potential. If voices on our campus went unrecognized, there was potential for students on other campuses to catch word of the issue and join in the efforts. Since Sodexo serves so many campuses across the nation, the potential for business problems were exponential if news of contract issues spread. By coming to such an immediate conclusion, Sodexo was spared a potentially larger media headache.

And when the contract is

up next May, we hope that the students who are still here remain mindful to the issue. This victory is potentially temporary, and it is important that students do not waiver with their support.

While we hope that the contract will be swiftly renewed in a year, it will once again become a pressing issue. Sodexo workers are a vital part of the University’s day-to-day operations, and an integral aspect of each student’s day.

Students should always be ready to mobilize for issues that affect our campus community — if we want to be conscious citizens, we have to start close to home.

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, Opinions Editor, Sports Editor and Arts & Culture Editor.

From the moment that you walk into a therapist’s office, the therapist will be looking the client up and down, interpreting what is said. They will attempt to name the issue with a diagnosis from the Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). It is often a way to condense information and symptoms, the goal to find the best treatment path. But along the way, an issue frequently arises. Those who are struggling with mental health issues often are seeking a sense of self, of fulfillment, in the hopes that they will be more happy, like themselves more, etc. The self is often composed of that label, becoming no longer a person but instead a list of symptoms.

There is a limit placed on the individual when this occurs, preventing the development of an identity beyond that of a diagnosis.

One’s identity is not disease or their illness. Even with a long list of symptoms, they are still a unique individual. No one, including myself, chooses to have a mental illness, yet it is so difficult to separate from personal identity.

In a support group, I might say, “I’m Kara, and I have anxiety.”

Some icebreaker that is. I’m not a fan of icebreakers in general, but a first impression should not be on the basis of my illness. One’s self-worth extends far beyond the scope of a diagnosis. No mental illness can take that away. It is the responsibility of all to uncover the

natures of our true identities, the people who we are proud to be. I am a singer, a writer and a coxswain for crew. I am a genuine person, and I try my best to care and listen to others, because I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of that lifeline.

A diagnosis is a way to find the appropriate treatment and help, not to define one’s identity. It is crucial to understand that sickness should never be the defining factor for an individual. There is much more to a person. There is a great deal of selfsearching done in recovery. Figuring out what you like, as opposed to your illness, is a challenge. A great deal of one’s identity can be tied to illness. Recovery is searching for, and then accepting yourself.

It is key to connect the feeling of self-acceptance as something that each person, no matter how sick, deserves.

Kara Bilello is a freshman double-majoring in English and Spanish.

Sickness should never be the defining factor for an individual

Public tired of Kardashians, not online nudity

Backlash from Kim Kardashian's naked photograph comes from public dislike of her family's success Giovanna Bernardo

Columnist

A few days ago it was International Women’s Day — a celebration of how far the female cause has come over the years, and a remembrance of all the women who have fought and will continue to fight for equal rights and opportunities between the sexes. The day before that, Kim Kardashian posted (yet another) naked throwback picture on social media. As if this is something new for a world that has seen plenty of the 35-year-old mother, from her breakthrough sex tape

with Ray J to her numerous Playboy photoshoots — but I digress. Backlash from other female celebrities came with Kardashian’s photo captioned, “Nothing to wear LOL.” Among others, legendary performer Bette Midler attacked Kardashian by tweeting, “If Kim wants us to see a part of her we’ve never seen, she’s gonna have to swallow the camera.” Ouch — but deserved for a starlet whose fame started with an exploitation of her body via sex tape. Breakthrough actress Chloë Grace Moretz (star of “Kick-Ass” and “The 5th Wave”) joined in the attack on Kardashian in bluntly tweeting, “I truly hope you realize how important setting goals are for

young women, teaching them we have so much more to offer than just our bodies.”

Many critics have deemed Moretz’s comment as a form of slut-shaming Kardashian’s open sexuality and relationship with her body all over the media.

I have to disagree with those critics. Moretz’s point is simply giving a voice to those young women in Hollywood — and around the world — who are tired of the Kardashians standing for completely superficial forms of fame and success.

Weight-loss supplements, their clothes and makeup lines, their social media presence and, of course, the multiple trashy reality TV shows on E! Network

are just numerous examples that support what Moretz is getting at.

These are the things most people associate with the Kardashians.

They have a monopoly on superficial, body/beautycentered forms of business. I’m not trying to undermine their success or say they didn’t work hard to get where they are. I’m just questioning why our society pays so much attention to people that are so obsessed with their physical appearance — as if nothing else about a woman matters. Being a celebrity does not mean you have to live a life comparative with that of a saint or religious monk. However, celebrities are held to a different standing of being simply based

on the fact that so many people do look up to them, aspiring to be like them and as successful as them.

That’s pretty scary when you think about the impressionable young women out there who have the Kardashians as examples of what success in business, marketing and branding in Hollywood looks like. And with the recent passing of International Women’s Day, Moretz’s comment becomes even more poignant, getting to the heart of what such a day celebrates. Women have been valued solely for their bodies and sexualized for too long, missing out on integral rights of all human beings.

I am proud to say we now live in a world that celebrates the achievements that women have made in social, economic, cultural and political strata, vying for equality one step at a time.

Women like the Kardashians seem to be regressing this female campaign, bringing a woman’s value back to her physical appearance.

And while her open sexuality can be liberating, it can also be dangerous for young girls to think their value is contingent on how skinny they are, or how long their hair is.

Giovanna Bernardo is a junior majoring in English.

Trump's worldview unrealistic in dealing with foes

Promising to eliminate terrorism, Donald Trump spews hateful rhetoric that will not impact positive change Sophia San Filippo

Contributing Columnist

The extent of the controversiality surrounding Donald Trump’s presidential campaign is surely no secret, but what would it mean if the horrid reality of his election were to come true? Apart from publicly condoning and revamping discriminatory ideals unfortunately still prevalent in society today, Trump fuels his campaign with an aggressive message of reform. It is this fervent approach that misleads

many minds into thinking that his mindset is most effective and satisfies the niche in many Americans whom are fearful for the future of this country. One of the many pivotal problems facing our nation, as well as many others, that feeds this fright is the issue of terrorism. While it is nice to imagine a world in which we can snap our fingers and poof, the oppressors are gone, this is most certainly not a possibility.

Sadly, this is a concept still incomprehensible to Trump.

In response to the ongoing threat of ISIS to the American people, Trump has developed

the elementary plan to “bomb the shit out of them.” While obliterating an entire terrorist group may suffice any present threats, it functions to perpetuate further terrorism. By impulsively bombing ISIS to shreds, we would also be wiping out many innocent lives that are face-to-face victims of the extremist organization. In other words, this would mean taking the lives of defenseless humans for personal purpose and benefit. Sound familiar? Fighting terrorism with terrorism is not the answer. Neither is sparking up a new generation of Americanhaters whose brothers, mothers

and children have been killed by our insensible acts of murder.

Planting troops betwixt ISIS and their victims would surely do a justice in drawing distinction, but this cannot be done alone.

Instead, we as a nation need to develop a worldwide alliance system that not only includes those of the Middle East in equal anguish, but calls for lasting effects. In the words of Bernie Sanders himself on the danger of terrorism, “we have got to be tough but not stupid,” the latter being Trump’s major downfall as a leader.

Like terrorism, many larger

issues facing this country and the world as a whole cannot be carried out in one fell swoop. What the United States needs right now more than ever is a leader who neither shies away from the larger issues due to their immensity, nor preaches haphazard schemes whose temporary solutions formulate for tremendously worse consequences. There is no surprise as to why making America great again, getting rid of ISIS and making this country flourish financially sounds pleasing to the ear. However, when these lovely procedures mean prolonging bigotry, generating future terrorist

groups, vaporizing the middle class so that it is a dirt-poor or filthy-rich kind of world and virtually destroying the planet, I think we ought to think twice about whether Trump wants to make America great for the long run, or simply “great” right now.

Instead, we need a leader who dictates for all social classes, ethnicities, religions, genders and nature in order to make humanity and its habitat function harmoniously — none of which are on Trump’s to-do list.

Sophia San Filippo is a sophomore double-majoring in English and psychology.

March 18, 2016 | bupipedream.com

9

OPINIONS

Take ownership of your food choices at school

Make informed, sustainable decisions based on a food's impact on your health and environment Caleb Schwartz

Contributing Columnist

Whether you refuse to eat anything that wasn’t grown in dirt or you’re the total embodiment of stalwart carnivore Ron Swanson of TV’s “Parks and Recreation,” you have a belief system about food.

Even if you don’t realize it, every time you chow down, you are taking a stand. In order to be a responsible citizen of our planet, it is your responsibility to make sure your food choices are as informed as they can be.

The decision of what to eat requires careful balance and deliberation. Someone who participates in Meatless Mondays may do so because he knows that it requires over 1,000 gallons of water to produce his hamburger and he wants to conserve our planet’s dwindling resources.

Likewise, a vegan may spend more to fill her plate with costly, locally grown vegetables because she knows they are more nutritious and come with a lower carbon footprint than imported pesticide-laden veggies. An omnivore might only choose to eat free-range chicken because they have read

about the torturous lives of factory-farmed animals.

In all these cases, people are choosing to support the farms and distribution systems that they believe, based on their own moral codes, are making the world a better place. Frankly, it doesn’t matter what decisions they make. What matters is that they are making informed decisions. If you don’t think twice about the food on your plate, you could be unwittingly supporting industries that destroy rain forest ecosystems, use dangerous chemicals or torture animals.

As a Binghamton University

student, it’s hard enough to balance your workload and social life. Researching your food is an additional stressor, yet an important responsibility.

Unfortunately, this information isn’t always readily available.

Searching the Internet can often lead to confusing and misleading results, especially if the food supplier doesn’t want its information to be found. For on-campus diners, the Sodexo website claims that 35 percent of its food is from New York and 57 percent is from fewer than 250 miles away. This is an uplifting fact, yet does not provide enough information to know whether

the chicken you get is factoryfarmed or free range, local or imported. Perhaps it is time that students start taking ownership and demand that Sodexo is more transparent about the sources of each food item. The more information available, the easier it is to align our dining choices with our moral ones.

I’m not suggesting that we know every little detail about every bite of food we swallow.

Nevertheless, we live in a world where the simple decision of what to buy for dinner can have a huge impact on our health, environment, global economies and the lives of animals and

farmers in every corner of the globe. Even just knowing where our food is produced would allow us to make smarter, hopefully more sustainable decisions.

In turn, each of our informed decisions would lead us a small step towards living in the world we want.

Choosing to take ownership in what you eat will not create your ideal world overnight. However, if you want to be a better global citizen, it’s a pretty good place to start.

Caleb Schwartz is an undeclared freshman.

Hate language rampant abroad Pseudo-liberalism Binghamton bubble limits students' awareness of global conflicts dilutes free speech Joshua Seed

Opinions should not be prefaced by politically-correct statements Brian Deinstadt

Contributing Columnist

Prioritized in the first amendment of our Bill of Rights, freedom of speech is the most important component of democracy and the distinguishing factor between countries like ours and North Korea. The ability to express opinions freely is a natural right and should be guaranteed to all people, everywhere, all the time and without restriction. Once epitomized by the United States and the liberalism of western civilization, freedom to express one’s opinions has recently come under attack by the very side that once sought to promote it.

Through the intrusion of political correctness and conventions such as safe spaces, trigger warnings and microaggressions, the regressive-left are demolishing the true foundation of liberalism and replacing it with a distorted ideology of their own.

What is the regressive-left, you might ask? Defined by Maajid Nawaz, former Muslim-extremist who now fights to spread notions of equality, human rights and democracy within the Muslim world, the regressive-left are pseudo-liberals who hold regressive views (as opposed to progressive) by tolerating illiberal values for the sake of multiculturalism. Nawaz applies the term predominately to those on the left who are triggerhappy to call anyone who criticizes the doctrine of Islam as racist. After reminding his online audience that Islam is a set of ideas and not a race, Nawaz goes on to state how “no idea is above scrutiny” and paroxysms of hate and prejudice need to be uprooted before having intelligent conversations about issues.

Beyond Maajid Nawaz’s context, the term has come to be known as any group from the left that embodies illiberal principles. Take microaggressions for an example: in today’s political climate, simply asking someone where they come from can be considered a microaggression and potentially racist. The left have gotten so good at being offended by everything that they have shielded themselves from being exposed to any opinions other than their own. This is a dangerous way of thinking. Erroneously accusing someone of being racist puts that person in an uncomfortable situation where they are obligated to defend themselves at all costs; such accusations, no matter how fallacious, can completely tarnish one’s reputation.

University campuses are the breeding grounds for pseudoliberalism. There have actually been cases lately where students have signed petitions and held protests in order to keep conservative speakers off-campus. Jonathan Haidt, a social physiologist and professor at New York University, alluded to the collegiate regressiveleft in an Atlantic article titled “The Coddling of the American Mind”: “The current movement is largely about emotional wellbeing,” Haidt wrote. “It presumes an extraordinary fragility of the collegiate psyche, and therefore elevates the goal of protecting students from psychological harm.

The ultimate aim, it seems, is to turn campuses into ‘safe spaces’ where young adults are shielded from words and ideas that make some uncomfortable.” How can this possibly be the best away to solve our problems? College is the one place where individuals are supposed to be exposed to ideas that challenge their way of thinking. How can intellectual development take place when people are constantly worried about their feelings getting hurt?

This is not to say racism, homophobia, sexism and antiMuslim bigotry do not exist. Of course they do, and such notions of hate and intolerance need to be challenged and terminated through civilly conducted debates.

But how can these battles be waged when we are too afraid to open our mouths in the first place?

Free speech favors no opinion.

The middle-aged man endorsing Trump’s Mexican wall is entitled to his opinion just as much as the 13-year-old Girl Scout speaking out against animal cruelty. It is the left who are responsible for the success of figures like Donald Trump, who has simply catered to the Americans that are sick and tired of the left telling them what to do. Liberals need to wake up, stop playing victim and congregate in way that will combat conservatism — not empower it.

Brian Deinstadt is a sophomore double-majoring in political science and English.

Hate and prejudice need to be uprooted

Guest Columnist

A walk around the Binghamton University campus reveals the diversity of our student population. The University’s global approach as well as its emphasis on inclusivity promotes learning beyond the formal walls of a classroom. Conversation between BU students, individuals of varying ethnic and faith backgrounds, fosters tolerance and prepares students for an increasingly interconnected world which demands understanding for those who are different.

Due to the accepting nature of our community, we have formed an environment where students feel comfortable displaying their religious clothing in public.

For instance, this month’s Interfaith Shabbat, an annual program with Hillel and the Muslim Student Association, saw females in the traditional Muslim hijab eating dinner beside their kippah-clad Jewish classmates as they discussed similarities as religious college students. Though my payot, the long sidelocks of some observant Jewish males, a sight more common in Brooklyn than in Binghamton, are sometimes the source of looks by passing students, my visible Jewish

identity is more frequently a conversation starter and a powerful opportunity to discuss religion and how I negotiate a secular college campus with such comfort. Unfortunately, these freedoms that I and so many others cherish dearly are actively being threatened in other parts of the world.

In recent years, an increasing number of violent anti-Semitic incidents in France including the murder of four Jews in a kosher supermarket during the Charlie Hebdo shootings have tainted the country’s image as a safe and welcoming liberal democracy for its 475,000 Jewish residents. Last year, journalist Zvika Klein decided to put allegations of the deteriorating situation for French Jews to the test, wandering the streets of the capital wearing a kippah and tzitzit, ritual fringes.

Klein’s kippah quickly catches the attention of nearby residents as the verbal assaults begin to flow. “Jew!” shouts a number of Parisians while others spit at Klein as he passes. A boy can be heard asking, “what is he doing here, Mommy? Doesn’t he know he will be killed?” The experiment captures an unfortunate conversation currently taking place among French Jews and Jews of other European nations.

This past January, a 15-yearold stabbed a Jewish teacher in Marseilles as he walked

to synagogue for morning prayers. As the teacher was wearing a kippah at the time of the attack, the incident reignited the debate whether one should conceal external signs of their Judaism in public to guarantee safety. The head of Marseilles’ Jewish community responded by recommending a removal of the kippah “for the time being,” while France’s chief rabbi suggested that such defeatist moves would only give the impression that “Jews bear some responsibility for being attacked.”

Regardless of one’s stance on the matter, the mere existence of this debate is troubling. The notion that my coreligionists must choose between faith and safety is unnerving. Jewish institutions in France and elsewhere throughout Europe operate like fortresses, guarded round-the-clock by heavily armed soldiers as if an attack is imminent. A significant Jewish emigration from Europe to Israel in recent years further highlights the demand for a secure Jewish future that many now believe can be assured only in the safety of a sovereign Jewish state.

Knowledge of the hardships currently facing Jews, but more importantly of the resilience of many despite the danger, leaves me with a newfound appreciation for the ease in which I can proudly practice my faith here at BU. The case of European Jewry is but one

example of the difficulties facing religious communities around the world today, and these realities must serve as a crucial reminder of the need to protect and strengthen our oasis of coexistence, for it can never be taken for granted.

Joshua Seed is a senior double-majoring in geography and Judaic studies.

Freedoms that we cherish so dearly are actively being threatened in other parts of the world

2016 rails against establishment

What can Americans learn from the Sanders and Trump campaigns Zachary Brodkin

Contributing Columnist

You’ve seen all of the rallies and heard different opinions about the possibility of a Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders presidency. There is something that has been given little attention behind the rhetoric of both campaigns, and that is that both candidates’ messages are not reflecting the interests of the corporations that have been the defining factors that have kept the establishment in power.

Sanders and Trump have galvanized people who are angry at the political establishment.

Their messages have been echoed before, as Sanders has been compared to former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Trump to former governor George Wallace. While former presidential candidates have made promises to help the country, their messages have

been nothing but sound bites coming from corporate interests.

The candidates that have become president have enacted policies that have done little to help the public while the corporate donors behind those candidates have reaped the benefits.

Before I am branded as a Trump supporter, I am specifically talking about the principal behind the messages of both candidates. It is important to remember that messages should be strong and resonate with the public, but they should also be open to different ideas and Trump’s message is closeminded, divisive and cannot be condoned at any level. Within both messages, however, is the principal of courage.

The public is angry at the establishment because the other candidates lack the courage to tell corporations that their money and influence have hijacked our democracy. The cycle has been constant over the last few decades, and Sanders and Trump are finally starting

to break it. Sanders is the lone candidate who has called out Wall Street for its influence on politics and has even said, “the bankers will not like me very much if I am president,” while Trump has said, “I cannot be bought.” In an earlier piece, I said that a period of massive social change is taking place, and that it was up to Millennials to work with each other to see that change become a reality. As the next generation of leaders, we need to have the courage to and tell the one percent them that they will not speak for us by bending our message to their will.

These messages are also redefining the election as some in the media are calling it “the end of establishment politics.”

Some political scientists are also predicting a massive shift in the political narratives for future elections with our generation leading the influence. These messages are strikingly different in their visions for the country, but the people saying them had

the courage to dare to end the establishment and it is getting through to the public as the primary results are showing.

Whether Sanders’ or Trump’s message carries into the future is debatable, but for a generation that has not enjoyed the same upward mobility as our parents and has been stuck with student loans, economic downturn and the results of poor decisions on foreign policy, our words must have courage when we are faced with the rhetoric establishment politics that is full of empty promises.

The messages of Trump and Sanders are creating a new narrative that will determine the course of our future as they will not be the only antiestablishment candidates of our time. Whatever our message may be, not everyone will agree with it, but we must have the courage to speak it if we are to be the change we seek.

Zachary Borodkin is a graduate student studying public administration.

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March 18, 2016 | bupipedream.com

11

SPORTS

Softball ready for final non-conference tournament

BU to play five games in three days at Maryland Invitational

Thomas J. Haughney Contributing Writer

Fresh off of a disappointing 2-3 showing at last weekend’s Stetson Classic, the Binghamton softball team (7-7) will head to College Park this weekend to compete in the Maryland Tournament.

The Bearcats are set to open competition against North Dakota State (14-11) on Friday afternoon. In their most recent tournament, the Bison played six close games, collecting three wins and three losses.

“I think it’s good that we get to play North Dakota State this weekend,” BU head coach Michelle Burrell said. “They’re a pretty competitive program, and we’re looking forward to playing them twice.”

Along with two games against NDSU, Binghamton will also face UMass (5-13), Boston University (9-11) and host Maryland (717) over the course of the tournament.

While it seems that NDSU may be the most competitive team the Bearcats are set to face, Boston has made some noise over the past week, picking up five straight wins at the Mizuno Invitational Tournament. In the Terriers’ 10-2 win against Providence, freshman catcher Alex Heinen particularly impressed, converting six RBIs in a powerful showing at the plate. Factoring in their winning streak and recent performances, the Terriers will have momentum entering their game against Binghamton on Saturday afternoon.

Before the Bearcats match up against Boston, they are slotted to play UMass on Saturday morning.

UMass has largely struggled to start its season and will enter this weekend on the tail end of a four-game losing streak. Players to look out for from UMass are sophomore pitcher Meg Colleran, as well as freshman outfielder Erin Stacevicz, who both received Player of the Week Awards earlier this month.

To conclude the tournament, the Bearcats will face Maryland on Sunday afternoon. Entering the weekend having lost four of their last five games, the Terrapin (7-17) will look to take advantage of its home-field and turn things around.

Headlining the Terps’ pitching staff will be redshirt junior pitcher Brenna Nation, who registered a complete-game no-hitter during her last outing in a win over Saint Louis this past weekend. Nation and junior Hannah Dewey have acted as a formidable one-two punch for the Maryland staff this season, and are match-ups that could prove to be a tough task for Binghamton.

The Bearcats recently underwent an up-and-down weekend, with a pair of wins over Tennessee-Martin and deflating losses to Wagner and Stetson.

When asked about her team’s performance, BU head coach Michelle Burrell noted that her squad is currently making some adjustments.

“We’ve been focusing on some fundamental things,” Burrell said. “We’re working to make some small adjustments to try and give them some time to recuperate a bit.”

Binghamton’s offense will be spearheaded by sophomore outfielder Jessica Rutherford, who stayed hot at the plate last weekend and tied a school record

Sasha Dolgetta/Pipe Dream Photographer Binghamton infielder Crysti Eichner carries a .721 slugging percentage into the Maryland Tournament this weekend.

with four hits in one game.

Burrell also noted Another standout player is junior composure of her pitchers infielder Crysti Eichner, who the weekend. went 2-for-4 in BU’s 9-2 victory “That was something over UT-Martin. improved throughout

BU prepared to face Penn Bearcats set to shuffle rotation against Quakers Noah Bressner Pipe Dream Sports

In preparation for its upcoming conference slate, the Binghamton baseball team will use this weekend’s series against Penn (2-7) to get into mid-season form. The Bearcats will travel to Philadelphia with hopes of solidifying their lineup and rotation before kicking off America East (AE) play at the end of the month.

“We start conference play next weekend,” Binghamton head coach Tim Sinicki said. “So what we’re trying to do is to take the first three games of this four-game series with Penn and treat them as if they were America East conference games.”

While the Bearcats (2-12) have struggled so far this season, their problems have largely occurred late in games. Despite a slew of strong offensive performances in close games against tough opponents, BU’s pitching staff has been unable to keep the Bearcats in contention. Binghamton’s relievers are credited with half of the team’s 12 losses.

The Quakers, like the Bearcats, have struggled in early season nonconference games. Their issues, however, stem from the plate, where they’ve hit just .240 and allowed opposing pitchers to accumulate a 2.22 earned run average.

“I know they were picked to be good in the Ivy League,” Sinicki said. “They’ve got pretty good starting pitching, they might have a pro guy as their number-one starter, but I really don’t know much about them from a historical standpoint since we’ve never played them.”

Redshirt junior pitcher Jake Cryts and senior pitcher Mike Bunal will start the opening two games of Saturday’s double-header, while redshirt sophomore pitcher Jake Wloczewski will take the mound for the second time this season in the first of Sunday’s two games. In his debut start against Delaware last weekend, the righty gave up just one earned run in five innings pitched.

Ahead of this weekend’s series, senior Rob Hardy will move

the weekend,” Burrell said. “We over were a lot happier with what we saw from them on Saturday and that Sunday.” the Binghamton is set to open

play on Friday against North Dakota State in its first game.

First pitch is set for 2:15 p.m. at the Maryland Softball Stadium in College Park, Maryland.

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Emily Earl/Pipe Dream Photographer Catcher/outfielder Eddie Posavec has tallied a .298 batting average over the course of the 2016 season.

from the starting rotation to the bullpen. Hardy has pitched from the bullpen during summer league competition for the Glens Falls Dragons, collecting three saves in 11 appearances in relief.

“I believe that Rob has the right temperament to come out of the bullpen,” Sinicki said. “I think mentally he’s the best candidate for that role. Rob’s on board and he said he’ll do whatever we think is best for the program.”

The Bearcats’ corner outfield spots have been subject to instability early this season, featuring a rotation of junior Darrian Herncane, freshman Daniel Franchi, sophomore Chris McGee and junior Eddie Posavec, who also plays catcher.

“When Eddie plays catcher, two outfield spots become available,” Sinicki said. “From a performance situation, I think we’ll continue

to play guys as we see fit until someone sticks.”

After six consecutive losses, the Bearcats will look to regain momentum before their home opener against Bucknell next Wednesday and their conference opener against Maine on March 26.

“We don’t really care about who we’re playing at this point,” Sinicki said. “What we’re trying to do is fix the problems that we’ve had internally, which for the most part has been our bullpen. I just want to make sure we’re in as good of a shape as we can possibly be in heading into next weekend’s series.”

First pitch between the two teams is scheduled for noon on Saturday from Meiklejohn Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a game following immediately afterwards. The series will conclude with a second double-header on Sunday.

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SOFTBALL

Binghamton heads to Maryland Invitational See Page 11 Friday, March 18, 2016

McKeever, Schneider end opening day at NCAAs First round losses send Bearcats into wrestlebacks Jeffrey Twitty Assistant Sports Editor

Nick Gwiazdowski, Justin Lister, Josh Patterson and Donald Vinson — each with portraits hoisted on Binghamton’s wrestling room wall — are BU’s only wrestlers to ever earn the title of Division I AllAmerican. This weekend, senior 174-pounder Jack McKeever and 184-pound sophomore Steve Schneider will try to make room for two more portraits on that wall at the NCAA Championships in New York City.

But the Bearcats won’t attack this weekend any differently than they have attacked their regular season — ending with a 7-4 mark in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) as McKeever and Schneider ended with a combined record of 47-16.

“The hay is in the barn at this point,” BU head coach Matt Dernlan said on Monday going into the tournament. “If we’re trying to teach guys things this week, we haven’t done our job for the past 365 days. You don’t want to deviate — it’s all the clichés — what brought us here is what’s going to take us through this tournament.

But also on the flip-side of that, we’re trying to get better at what we do.”

For McKeever, Thursday marked his second appearance in the NCAA Championship after qualifying for last year’s tournament as a junior. Losing in both rounds during his first bout at the NCAAs, McKeever walked into Thursday ready for redemption and a chance to end his career on a high note.

“For someone who’s never been there, its definitely an exciting

Kaely Hankison/Contributing Photographer

174-pound senior Jack McKeever competed in the NCAA Championships on Thursday for the second consecutive year.

opportunity, being there for the second time, I know what to expect going in,” McKeever said. “It’s a fun environment, I just got to remember to have fun out there.”

Schneider, representing Binghamton in his first NCAA tournament appearance, entered ready to stake his claim in a tough 184-pound bracket. Finishing in fifth place at the EIWA tournament, Schneider entered Madison Square Garden young, but confident.

“To be the best, you’ve got to

train with the best and you’ve got to beat the best,” Schneider said.

“It’s great experience when you get to wrestle the number-one guy.

Even if you lose, just keep your head up and you’ve got to learn from your losses.”

Dernlan echoed Schneider’s confidence on Monday, praising the attitude — and noting the secret weapon — shared between the pair.

“These guys have the belief that they’re ready to have the best

tournament of their life,” Dernlan said. “When you have that belief, you’re set up and prepared to do something special.”

In the first round of competition on Thursday, McKeever opened the day with a match against Nebraska junior Micah Barnes. After an even first three minutes, the Cornhusker managed an escape and a take-down on McKeever to make the match score 3-0. Winning the battle on the ground as well, Barnes posted a 4-0 decision victory

to push McKeever to Thursday night’s consolation bracket. In the consolation round, McKeever is set to see Harvard sophomore Josef Johnson in a rematch of his EIWA consolation matchup. In the first meeting between the two, Johnson captured a 6-4 sudden death victory over McKeever to force him to the seventh-place match.

After falling, 6-1, to Navy senior Matthew Miller, Schneider was also set to wrestle the consolation bracket on Thursday night.

Matched up against UNC redshirt senior Alex Utley, the sophomore’s second round appearance will also be a rematch from earlier this season, with Schneider topping Utley, 4-1, in BU’s match against the Tar Heels on Nov. 15. Results of these matches were not available at the time of publication.

For complete coverage of McKeever’s and Schneider’s performance at the NCAA Championships, visit bupipedream.com/sports.

BU goes bald for a cause

Bearcat community fundraises to fight cancer William Schwartz Pipe Dream Sports

Provided by BU Athletics Senior Jesse Perkins tied for the team lead in strokes per round during the Bearcats fall season.

Bearcats set for spring

After long lay-off, BU returns to the course

E.Jay Zarett Sports Editor

After nearly five months away from the course, the Binghamton golf team is set to open its spring season Sunday at the Kingsmill Intercollegiate, hosted by William and Mary.

“They’re definitely excited,” said BU head coach Bernie Herceg.

“They’ve done some great work over the winter, in the offseason, when we were indoors … the guys have worked really hard, and they’re ready to start out on a pretty good note.”

The Bearcats failed to play up to par during their fall season.

The Bearcats registered a fifthplace finish, out of 16 teams, at the Binghamton Collegiate Invitational. But, BU finished no higher than ninth in any of its other four fall tournaments and concluded its season on Oct. 20, when they finished 14th out of 16 at the Elon Invitational.

“The guys are really looking

forward to having a good spring,” Herceg said. “I don’t think we played as well as we could have in the fall. So they’ve got some good goals set for themselves and working on the process to have some better scores.”

Typically, the Bearcats’ only opportunity to practice outdoors comes by way of a team trip to Florida prior to the start of the spring season. But after Binghamton’s mild winter this year, BU managed to play on courses at home earlier than normal. Herceg believes that more time on the green could prove to be a major benefit to his squad this season.

“Being able to hit balls outside, let alone play the golf course is really huge because we can compete against each other, get the competitive juices going,” Herceg said. “It’s definitely an advantage, and I feel like we are a little bit better prepared than we were last year.”

Senior Jesse Perkins was a key

contributor for the Bearcats in the fall. At the Cornell Invitational in September, the veteran tied for ninth place in a field of 77 competitors. He shot a seasonlow 68 in the opening round of that tournament and delivered a team-best 75.3 strokes per round.

Perkins will be looked upon to lead Binghamton in the spring. “[Perkins] has five collegiate events left and he’s really prepared himself,” Herceg said. “I really feel he’s going to have a good spring.

He’s in a good mindset and he’s working hard at it. I have a feeling he’s going to be very competitive in every event we play in.”

Combining with Perkins to lead the Bearcats will be junior Kyle Wambold, who also averaged 75.4 strokes per round in the fall, and classmate Sameer Kalia, who averaged 75.5.

The Bearcats are set to tee-off at the Kingsmill Intercollegiate on Sunday in Williamsburg, Virigina. Start time for the event has not yet been announced.

On Wednesday, the Binghamton Athletics department’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the St. Baldrick’s Foundation teamed up to hold the fifth annual “Brave a Shave.” The event featured a combination of students, student-athletes and local residents flocking to the Events Center to shave their heads to show solidarity in support of children suffering from pediatric cancer.

“This is my third year doing it,” said Matt Kaser, a junior majoring in political science.

“I’ve got some family that have had cancer, so I think that anything you can do to support the cause and to go out and show people that they’re not alone is a great thing to do.”

As donors took the stage to have their heads shaved — often to the delight of friends and onlookers — the atmosphere at the Events Center became electric. Adding to the upbeat atmosphere were performances from the Binghamton Dance Team, as well as BU a cappella groups — the BinghamTonics and No Strings Attached. While the event garnered support for children suffering from cancer around the world, it also served to highlight the struggle of a local child, Gabriela Labisch of Vestal.

“She has leukemia that just came back after she was in remission for a little bit, so she’s in a hospital in Philadelphia, battling and getting treatment,” said Terrence Lollie, a co-SAAC adviser and key organizer of the event.

In terms of money raised, the event was a monumental success.

The pre-event goal of $10,000 was shattered, as the final sum was double that figure. One group of local high school girls — Odyssey of the Spark — raised over $12,000 and participated in the hair shaving themselves.

“I think it’s wonderful,” Lollie said of the event. “We started in 2012 with our first event, we raised over $23,000 that year and we’ve been having one ever since.

We’ve raised over $50,000 in our four years.”

A large theme of the day revolved around personal connections to the St. Baldrick’s cause, as numerous people in attendance were driven to donate through firsthand experience with individuals suffering from pediatric cancer.

“There’s a kid I go to church with at home who has leukemia,” Chris Ramsey said, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering. “Every year I try to come out and raise as much money as I can, because as far as charities go, it’s the one that hits home the closest to me.”

Binghamton softball junior pitcher Shelby Donhauser also connected with the event on a personal level and served as a key organizer.

“We have an adopted teammate named Kimmy Silott,” Donhauser said. “She was diagnosed with cancer very young and she’s battled through it and she’s cancer-free for two years now. We’ve adopted her onto our team and we always have her at our games. We gave her a championship ring last year, so it’s really great.”

While much of the spotlight was cast upon the donors, the event could not have been run as smoothly as it was without the barbers. Lyman Bothwell, who has been cutting hair for 27 years, worked his first-ever St. Baldrick’s event on Wednesday.

“It’s a really good experience and I’m all about it,” Bothwell said. “I like to do things that raise awareness, so that people care about human beings’ wellbeing. For me, that’s what it’s all about.”

Kevin Huaman/Contributing Photographer Baxter, the Binghamton University mascot, gets his hair buzzed at the BU Athletics St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraiser on Wednesday.