Spring 2017 Issue 10

BU alumna searches for

‘The One’ on MTV

See page 4 Thursday, February 16, 2017 | Vol. XCI, Issue 10 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

Evolutionary Studies hosts 'Darwin and Me' panel Celebrating Darwin's birthday, EvoS holds interdisciplinary talk on evolution's impact Hannah Walter Contributing Writer

In honor of Charles Darwin’s birthday this past Sunday, the evolutionary studies program (EvoS) hosted a panel discussion titled “Darwin and Me: Evolution Across the Disciplines” in Academic Building A as part of its “Darwin’s Day” celebration.

The department invited professors from various departments to speak about how evolutionary theory has affected their perspective, work and research.

The discussion was part of the EvoS seminar series, an event that brings in speakers and researchers every Monday to talk about how their work is impacted by evolutionary studies. This specific event focused on how evolutionary studies affects understanding in a multitude of disciplines, such as psychology, philosophy and engineering.

The panelists for this event included psychology professor Ann Merriwether, philosophy professor Lisa Tessman, assistant biology professor Jessica Hua, bioengineering professor David Schaffer and anthropology professor Rolf Quam.

Adam Laats, an associate professor in the Graduate School of Education, was also supposed to be part of the panel but was not able to make it due to weather conditions.

The speakers were asked to focus on two central ideas: how they personally first encountered evolution and how evolutionary thinking has evolved in their discipline.

Many of the panelists said they were introduced to Darwinian theory early on in their education, but did not dive into the subject until later on in their studies. Merriwether first came across the doctrine during her undergraduate years, but it was not until she was in graduate school that evolutionary theory really played a part in her developmental psychology education.

“My first seminar in grad school was developmental psychology theory and we got to pick which theorist we wanted to study, and I picked Irenäus Eibl-Eibesfeldt because I thought his name was cool,” Merriwether said. “He ended up rocking my world. I read his book, ‘Human Ethology,’ and to this day, I still think about its findings.”

The professors discussed the necessity of evolutionary studies, including moral plurality, artificial intelligence and ecotoxicology. They all mentioned how understanding natural selection and Darwinism can help identify the root of many behaviors and actions in both humans and other living organisms, which helps them understand findings made in their research. Quam brought up the importance of evolution when studying the emergence of language.

“The field of biological anthropology is very much explicitly united by the paradigm of evolution,” Quam said.

“Everyone who works as a biological anthropologist believes in evolution and uses it as an explanatory framework to understand human behavior, the past, the present, etc. It’s very essential to everything we do.”

Amanda Guitar, a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate studying biological anthropology, said the panel was an

SEE EVOS PAGE 2

Jonathan Flores/Contributing Photographer BU President Harvey Stenger shares a laugh with adjunct English professor Ryan Vaughan during “Talk+ With Harvey Stenger and Ryan Vaughan,” hosted by Creativity+, a student-run organization which attempts to unite students and faculty across campus with unique events and projects.

Harvey Stenger and Ryan Vaughan get personal with Creativity+ Student group hosts panel with well-known faculty to boost school spirit, more than 100 attend Allison Detzel Contributing Writer

More than 100 students gathered in the Admissions Building on Tuesday evening for a discussion between two of Binghamton University’s most wellknown figures, President Harvey Stenger and adjunct English professor Ryan Vaughan, about University issues, love and personal legacies.

The event was hosted by Creativity+, a student-run organization which attempts to unite students and faculty across campus with unique events and projects.

Creativity+ collaborated with other organizations for the event, including the University itself, which provided cups and T-shirts for attendees, Enactus, an entrepreneurial club on campus that assisted with planning and BTV, which filmed the interview.

Neil Harris, the founder of Creativity+ and a senior majoring in business administration, said a goal in organizing the event was to allow a large section of the student body to build a personal connection with faculty.

“I hope people leave the event with a newfound appreciation for our president,” Harris said. “He’s the bomb. If people realize that Harvey [Stenger] is a cool guy, they will hopefully relate more to

the University.”

Rebecca Ho, a member of Creativity+ and a junior majoring in business administration, hosted the discussion between Stenger and Vaughan. The evening’s topics, decided upon by Creavity+ members, ranged from University issues, like the possibility of a football team, to personal questions

SEE TALK+ PAGE 2

M-HOPE interns teach healthy eating habits Speaker series focuses on nutrition, body image and eating disorders among students Stacey Blansky Contributing Writer Kevin Sussy/Photography Editor Samantha Marsilla, ‘15, speaks to the Binghamton University’s Women in Business club via Skype in the Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development. Marsilla discussed how she uses her business administration degree for sales planning at Ziff Davis.

Women in Business sponsors marketing information session Samantha Marsilla, '15, gives advice to students looking to break into industry Amy Donovan

business administration degree, with a concentration in marketing, as a sales planner at Ziff Davis, a global digital media Samantha Marsilla spoke to the company. members of Binghamton University’s Marsilla, who graduated from BU in Women in Business (WIB) club via 2015, was the treasurer of WIB and majored Skype in the Fleishman Center for in business administration. WIB hosted the Career and Professional Development on SEE WIB PAGE 2 Wednesday about how she utilizes her Contributing Writer

Binghamton University’s Mental Health Outreach Peer Educators (M-HOPE) discussed ways to destigmatize mental health, find healthy and nutritious ways to eat on campus and help peers feel more comfortable using resources available to them.

The event was held on Wednesday evening through the Mental Health Advocacy (MHA) series titled “Nutrition, Body Image and Eating Disorders.” The M-HOPE interns discussed the characteristics of healthy eating, the behaviors of eating disorders to watch out for and the need to speak openly about seeking help for those who notice these behaviors in their peers.

One such resource, the University Counseling Center, provides clinical and referral services to BU students in order to enhance the overall

psychological well-being across campus.

Sargunvir Sondhi, an M-HOPE intern and a junior majoring in biology, discussed some of the goals of the MHA program, such as reducing anxiety about seeking out counseling services.

“The main reason students do not approach the counseling center is because of the stigma surrounding it,” Sondhi said. “Our main goal throughout campus is to encourage students, if they need to, to approach the counseling center and get the help they need.”

Lauryn Maleski, an M-HOPE intern a sophomore majoring in human development, discussed the important role variety plays in creating a balanced diet. She and the other interns explained that it is important to consume processed foods in moderation and to get a majority of your vitamins and minerals from

SEE HEALTH PAGE 2

Google engineering manager, alumnus speaks at BU James Bankoski, '91, visits campus as part of 'Google Week' recruiting efforts Jillian Forstadt Contributing Writer

On Tuesday evening, James Bankoski, a Binghamton University alumnus and an engineering manager at Google, spoke to students about his career path.

The talk, given in the Jay S. and Jeanne Benet Alumni Lounge in the Alumni Center, was a part of “Google Week,” a recruiting project collaborated by the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences,

ARTS & CULTURE

the Fleishman Center for Career and Professional Development and the Alumni Engagement office.

Bankoski graduated from BU in 1991 with a degree in computer science, and has since returned to the University many times for alumni events. While studying at BU, he worked at a pizzeria in Old University Union and at a McDonald’s to fund his tuition. He also interned at IBM in Endicott and in Owego throughout college, where he worked under Dick Steflik, who is now a professor in the

computer science department.

After graduating, Bankoski went on to earn a master’s degree in computer science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He went on to pursue a Ph.D. in computer science, but dropped out to work for On2 Technologies, formerly known as The Duck Corporation, a startup that created technology for formatting online videos.

“I could have very easily have been a database programmer and ended that way, and I really didn’t like it,” Bankoski

OPINIONS

said. “I liked coding, but I really didn’t like the kind of work. I think everybody should strive for that, and good things will happen when you’re doing something you love.”

In 2008, Google contacted Bankoski about a royalty-free video code he had created, which is a program that allows videos to be shown on websites without owing royalty fees to the creator of the video. Now owned by Google, the

SEE GOOGLE PAGE 2

SPORTS

Binghamton gets trendy with a new tea shop,

Too much leftover Valentine’s Day chocolate? Try this recipe,

Guest columnist Mahvish Hoda details her fight for a new peace studies minor,

Holt runs personal best mile,

Baseball and softball teams seek return to dominance,

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NEWS

bupipedream.com | February 16, 2017

'Google Week' brings recruiters, speakers to Binghamton University GOOGLE FROM PAGE 1

Sean Lastig/Pipe Dream Photographer James Bankoski, ‘91, speaks to students Tuesday evening in the Alumni Center as part of “Google Week,” sponsored by the Alumni Engagement office.

technology is used heavily by YouTube. In 2010, he was offered a full-time position at Google and moved from the Hudson Valley to the Silicon Valley.

Today, Bankowski writes code for Google as well as manages a large group of engineers. He has also taken positions on more than 200 hiring committees, teaches courses and is one of the faculty research reviewers for the company. He is also in charge of the interns at Google Chrome, for which he approves all projects.

According to Tanner Hoelzel, a sophomore double-majoring in computer science and mathematics, Bankoski is a role model to many computer sciences students.

“Something that [Bankoski]

Alumna describes her path from BU to a career in marketing WIB FROM PAGE 1 event and members asked Marsilla questions about post-graduate life, her work environment and how she advanced within the company she works for.

She started out as an executive assistant for the CEO of Ziff Davis, and said she stood out by making herself an asset and constantly offering others assistance.

As a sales planner, she acts as a liaison by working with a sales representative for different clients, such as Lenovo, and communicates their needs back to Ziff Davis.

Marsilla suggested that if one is looking for a career in marketing, it is important to talk to professors who have a strong background to narrow down exactly what

you want to do in the field. She also told attendees to look at qualifications necessary for jobs that they may want in order to prepare themselves accordingly.

“Once you have an idea of what area of marketing you want to go into, and what kind of job you want in the future, look up those jobs, look at the qualifications and see what kind of hard skills you’ll need,” Marsilla said.

Michelle Dec, a member of WIB and a sophomore majoring in accounting, found Marsilla through the group’s alumni list.

Marsilla was noted as having a unique perspective because, according to Dec, business administration majors are often neglected within the School of Management, as many of the events the school hosts cater

more toward students studying accounting.

Dec also said that she thought it was necessary for students to hear from an alumna with real-life experiences in the workforce.

“I think it’s important to hear from alumni because they have more relevant experience,” Dec said. “I could learn a finance formula and think it’d be the most important thing in the world, but I don’t know if I’ll actually have to use it.”

Marlee Burr, the president of WIB and a junior majoring in finance, said that the club wanted to provide its members with a different perspective that was more marketing-focused.

“A lot of the time we feel like [business administration] majors are underrepresented in a way,”

Burr said. “We wanted to reach out to different alumni — but specifically with her and marketing — that way we could provide that platform for marketing majors to learn more about what it actually is.”

Marsilla also mentioned this underrepresentation and said that acquiring a marketing job is a lot different than acquiring a job in accounting or finance because the recruitment cycles are less concrete and many positions that are available only recruit immediate hires.

She also said that she learned through experience as well as by asking for help when she needed it.

“It’s OK to ask for help,” Marsilla said. “Ask people to show you how to do something, don’t ask them to do it for you.”

It's OK to ask for help, ask people to show you how to do something — Samantha Marsilla, BU Alumi

Creativity+ unites Harvey M-HOPE Stenger and Ryan Vaughan advocates TALK+ FROM PAGE 1 about Stenger and Vaughan’s past regrets, moments of panic, life mottos and even their first crushes.

“It was the fourth grade,” Vaughan said of his first crush. “I went to kiss her and I went right past her mouth … and I threw up right on her shoes. We didn’t last.”

Stenger discussed his biggest moment of panic: a minor car collision that resulted in him embarking on a county-wide chase to catch the culprit.

“So I’m sitting at the light on Vestal [Avenue] and Vestal Parkway and this lady rear-ends me at 30 miles an hour,” Stenger said. “And she takes off, she turns down the parkway and she’s driving down the parkway and I’m sitting there going, ‘I’m going to catch this lady.’”

Stenger followed the car through Binghamton, Vestal and Johnson City before three police cars and three ambulances arrived at the scene, soon discovering that the woman who hit Stenger had been intoxicated.

The discussion also touched on more serious matters when Ho asked both Stenger and Vaughan what they wanted their legacy to be.

“Laughter — I’d like that to be my legacy,” Vaughan said. “I talk a lot about this in class, but

to me laughter and humor are more intimate than sex … this, right now, what’s happening in this room, is far more intimate.

Humor and a connection with a person runs deeper than something sexual. For me, laughter is everything. If I can make you laugh … that will fulfill both of us.”

Stenger said his idea of his own legacy involved looking back at the people he had come in contact with throughout his career and the experiences he had with them.

“I think for me life is about how many people you help,” Stenger said. “And not that you’re counting them, but you want to make sure you have had a positive impact on a lot of people … that’s where you want your legacy to be, that whatever career you chose, that the people that were impacted by you are happy, successful and that they thank you for it.”

Caroline Bruckner, a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, attended the talk and said she gained a new perspective of Stenger.

“I thought it was very funny,” Bruckner said. “I think it did what it said it was going to do, which is connect students and faculty, especially Harvey [Stenger] because we don’t really get to see him in a personal setting like that very often.”

for healthy life choices HEALTH FROM PAGE 1 natural foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

The event attendees participated in an activity where each person tried to create a virtual meal that encompassed all the aspects of the United States Department of Agriculture’s standards for a healthy plate, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and dairy.

“Variety is really important,” Maleski said. “It is good to go with different colors and textures and to think about that as you are creating meals so you can target different nutrient areas and make sure you are fully nourishing your body in all aspects.”

Charlotte Crinnin, an M-HOPE intern and a sophomore majoring in psychology, explained that it is good to eat throughout the day in order to avoid binges and aid your body in the digestion process.

“You can find yourself in a binge cycle,” Crinnin said.

“Afterward, you often feel guilty or remorse, and then you want

Kevin Paredes/Assistant Photography Editor A Mental Health Outreach Peer Educator discusses ways to destigmatize mental health and find healthy ways to eat on campus.

to try and get in control and you start the cycle over again.

It’s hard to escape because it has emotional and health components tied in.”

Bridget Jules, an undeclared freshman, said she chose to come to the event because she is interested in psychology as well as mental health advocacy.

“There are a lot of people that can benefit from these things,” Jules said. “It’s just that some people might think that mental health is made up and don’t experience genuine issues from it. Having an educational series about it is really interesting. I want to encourage people who are not as informed to come to these things.”

The M-HOPE interns said they hope to spread their message to the student body at the University and, through talking to students about

nutrition and body image, explain why it should not be a taboo topic. They want to promote positive body image and help others look for warning signs if a friend is experiencing some kind of issue with nutrition.

“This particular event, and events that we do about depression and anxiety, are really important because a lot of students in our demographic experience these things,” Maleski said. “A lot of our friends experience them. A lot of the people we see in class, you wouldn’t even know the stuff they are going through, so facilitating a conversation about these particular topics is a way for people to re-evaluate, ‘What can I do to help myself and my friends?’ and doing that healthily.”

kind of lived or demonstrated is … that being great to other people can really serve you well in the long run,” Hoelzel said.

Paul Deamer, employer and alumni outreach consultant at the Fleishman Center, said that he wants students who are looking to begin their careers after graduation to understand that you have to do a few things before reaching your dream position, just as Bankoski did.

“Not every alum has a direct path to their career, and these days it’s more frequent for alums, upon graduation, to have a few positions before they get to that ultimate place where they want to be,” Deamer said. “That is sort of what we want the students to take away from [this event]. You may not get that dream job upon graduation, you may have to do a few things before that.”

EvoS talk analyzes impact of evolution EVOS FROM PAGE 1 effective way to learn about the importance of evolutionary studies in various areas of academia.

“As someone who has studied evolution for years now, I think it is absolutely a crucial theory for understanding everything,” Guitar said. “It is just wildly applicable.

Unfortunately though, our evolution literacy in this country is far too low, so discussions like this that bring people together from different disciplines to talk about how an evolutionary framework can apply across multiple fields is really important.”

Brian Perriello, a senior majoring in biology and the secretary of the Evolutionary Studies Student Association, attended the lecture because he thought it would be interesting to hear how professionals in different fields approach evolution.

“Evolutionary theory is very explanatory for the behavior of human[s], animals and the rest of life,” Perriello said. “Many of the ultimate causes of our behavior are due to selection.

By understanding the topic, we can understand a lot about humanity, which is vital in all different areas of research.”

Alex Niman/Contributing Photographer Bioengineering professor David Schaffer speaks to students and faculty during “Darwin and Me: Evolution Across the Disciplines,” a panel discussion hosted by the evolutionary studies program Monday evening.

PAGE III Thursday, February 16, 2017

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

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neWs editor* Alexandra K. Mackof news@bupipedream.com Asst. neWs editors Pelle Waldron Gabriella Weick Brendan Zarkower oPinions editor* Caleb D. Schwartz opinions@bupipedream.com Arts & Culture editor* Odeya Pinkus arts@bupipedream.com Asst. Arts & Culture editors Rachel Greenspan Georgia Westbrook sPorts editor* Orlaith McCaffrey sports@bupipedream.com

Kevin Sussy/Photography Editor Ted Lam, a junior majoring in chemistry, practices the diabolo Wednesday evening during the Binghamton University Circus Arts Association weekly meeting.

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Pipe Line LOCAL NEWS Vehicle crashes into Department of Social Services building on Main Street A vehicle crashed into the Broome County Department of Social Services building at the intersection of Main and Oak streets in Binghamton on Tuesday evening, according to WBNG. Two vehicles crashed into one another, which caused one of the cars to crash into the building. There was only one person in each vehicle and both were taken to United Health Services in Johnson City with minor injuries.

Town of Union supervisor accused of harassment The Town of Union Board will decide on Wednesday how to move forward with allegations that Town Supervisor Rose Sotak harassed town employees, according to the Press & Sun-Bulletin. One of the several resolutions the Board is slated to consider would authorize the law firm Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP to provide legal advice on the potential removal of Sotak from office.

STATE NEWS Cuomo donor received $25 million for project company was going to build anyway

The Times Union is reporting that large health-care and infrastructure project grants were redirected to donors of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s campaign. The biggest private firm to receive a contract was Crystal Run Healthcare LLP, a rapidly expanding company that in April 2015 announced they were imminently breaking ground on two 70,000-square-foot facilities.

According to the Times Union, this “suggests that either Crystal Run executives had a strong idea that they were going to win the competitive state bidding, or the state gave $25 million to private projects that were already being built without the taxpayer subsidies.”

NATIONAL NEWS Trump aides were in constant touch with senior Russian officials during campaign High-level advisers close to President Donald Trump were in constant communication during the campaign with Russians known to U.S. intelligence, according to CNN and other national news outlets. Among several senior Trump advisers regularly communicating with Russian nationals were then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort and thenadviser Michael Flynn.

Corrections In our Feb. 13 issue, Pipe Dream incorrectly attributed the article titled "Dancing with the dominant: learning consent with kink and bondage" to Hannah Walter.

The attribution should have stated Rachel Greenspan, assistant arts & culture editor. Pipe Dream regrets the error.

This Day in History Feb. 16, 1968

The nation’s first 911 emergency telephone system is inaugurated in Haleyville, Alabama.

Police Watch Fake email asks students for $850 FRIDAY, Feb. 10, 1:30 p.m. — Officers received a report of a fraudulent email being sent to four students asking them for money, said Investigator Patrick Reilly of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. The students stated that they received emails that appeared to be from two different professors. The emails stated that the students were being investigated for academic dishonesty, and claimed that the professors knew that the students had purchased papers online and passed the work off as their own. In the message, the students were instructed to write to a specific email address for more details. Several of the students who received the email wrote to the address as directed, and were then sent another email asking them for $850 to clear the matter up. None of the students paid the money, and the University Information Technology Services department contacted UPD to report the fraudulent emails. Through the course of the investigation, officers determined that the professors never sent the emails and had no knowledge of them. Officers believe that their email addresses were spoofed. The case is still under investigation.

Student reports stolen property from Marketplace SATURDAY, Feb. 11, 8 p.m. — A 21-year-old female contacted UPD to report a larceny from the Marketplace, Reilly said. The female stated that she had been eating in the Marketplace around 4:30 p.m. when she left without her sunglasses. She returned an hour later after realizing she had forgotten the sunglasses, but was unable to locate them. She asked an employee if anything had been turned in, but the employee said that they had not received any lost sunglasses. The employee stated that there had been a pair of glasses sitting on top of a garbage can earlier, but they were no longer present when the female returned to the Marketplace. Officers took the

Asst. PhotogrAPhy editor Kevin E. Paredes

Alexandra Hupka Police Correspondant

female’s contact information, but the sunglasses have not been found. The investigation is ongoing.

Laundry reported stolen from Cascade Hall MONDAY, Feb. 13, 8 p.m. — An 18-year-old female reported that her sweater had been stolen from Cascade Hall of Mountainview College, Reilly said.

The female stated that she had been doing laundry in Cascade Hall the previous day, but had left it in the washer overnight. When she returned to the laundry room at noon the following day, her laundry had been placed on top of a washing machine, still wet. When she returned to her room with the laundry, she discovered that she was missing a green Binghamton University sweater. The sweater was quarter-zip with logos on the front and back. The investigation is pending.

Construction worker assaulted during argument TUESDAY, Feb. 14, 11:35 a.m.

— Officers responded to a call of a construction worker being assaulted while working near the Science Complex on Murray Hill Road, Reilly said. The victim, a 45-year-old male, stated that he had gotten in an argument with the suspect, a 30-year-old male, over scaffolding. The victim stated that during the course of the argument, the suspect, who is also a construction worker, walked over to him and hit him in the head with a paint can. The victim said that the suspect then grabbed him by the front of his shirt and threw him down a flight of stairs. The victim’s boss promptly removed the suspect from the work site after learning of the incident, and consequently, the suspect was not present when the officer arrived. The victim declined medical attention. He had visible marks on his left upper arm and shoulder, and complained of soreness.

Officers advised the victim to seek medical attention if he experienced any symptoms of a concussion. The victim declined to pursue any criminal prosecution against the suspect. Officers contacted the suspect, who declined to discuss the incident. The case has been closed.

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ARTS & CULTURE S&C

MTV helps an alumna find love

Kari Kowalski, '16, stars in season 5 of reality show 'Are You the One?' Odeya Pinkus Arts & Culture Editor

This past May, one recent Binghamton University graduate took turning your dreams into reality to a whole new level.

After finishing her time at BU, Kari Kowalski, ‘16, set off to the Dominican Republic to film MTV’s reality show “Are You The One?” Currently in its fifth season, “Are You The One?” is a dating show that takes 11 single men and 11 single women and uses an “extensive matchmaking process” to pair them up. Over the course of a few weeks, the 22 contestants must correctly guess who their match is for the chance to collectively win $1,000,000.

While Kowalski has a chance at love and money, just a year ago she was finishing up her senior year at BU. “It seems like a little bit out of nowhere that I got involved with ‘Are You The One,’” Kowalski said.

As a student at BU, Kowalski double-majored in integrative neuroscience and English.

Outside of academics, she was a member of Phi Mu, as well as a resident assistant

Photo provided by Kari Kowalski Kari Kowalski, ‘16, stars in season 5 of the MTV original series, “Are You The One?” Episodes air Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on MTV.

(RA) in Dickinson Community.

But Kowalski says that she was following her passion.

“In reality, I always really wanted to pursue TV,” she said.

Besides “Are You The One?” Kowalski also applied to other reality shows.

“First I applied to ‘The Bachelor,’ which was ridiculous because I’m 22 years old,” she said.

On ABC’s “The Bachelor,” the premise is that those involved are looking for a lifelong partner.

And at 22, Kowalski says she was one of the youngest who applied.

“I kind of went home and knew that was not going to work out,” she said.

But a friend of hers from the RA program later recommended “Are You The One?” and she was inspired to apply. From there, Kowalski describes it as somewhat of a whirlwind experience in hindsight.

“I just sent in a little, funny paragraph about myself and some pictures, and the next day they called me, and then all of a sudden I was flying out to L.A. to interview, and all of a sudden I was on the show,” she said.

Now that filming has ended and the show is on air, Kowalski says she often gets asked the same question: How real is the show?

She said that her experience in reality TV was true to the name.

Raquel Panitz/Staff Photographer Patrons enjoy kava at the Doc Concrescence Social Club, a new tea shop located on 89 Court St in Binghamton. Doc Concrescence joins the kava bar trend spreading across the nation.

Local tea shop offers new hangout spot Doc Concrescence, specializing in kava, opened on Feb. 3 Ryan Muller Contributing Writer Binghamton’s students and residents alike might wander into Doc Concrescence Kava, Tea, Elixir Bar and Social Club expecting an average tea shop, but behind the doors of 89 Court St. lies much more than that.

Doc Concrescence — Doc Con for short — calls itself a kava, tea and elixir bar with a focus on kava.

Owner Juri Ahn opened the bar on Feb. 3, during this month’s First Friday event, ushering Binghamton into the kava bar trend spreading across the nation.

These bars have appeared in cities like New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco. Before coming to Binghamton, Ahn lived and worked for 25 years in San Francisco, where the kava bar trend first gained traction.

Kava is a drink made from the roots of the kava plant found across Polynesia. For thousands of years, it has been important in cultures of Polynesian Islands — such as the Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu — all of which are responsible for the kava that Ahn uses. There are several ways to serve kava, but Ahn serves his kava as a powder mixed with water.

Kava is known for its relaxing effects, allowing people to sleep better, concentrate on tasks or induce a feeling similar to being drunk. Most people drink kava for these effects and not for its taste, which is earthy and bitter.

“It tastes like dirt with flowers,” Ahn said.

Because of this, Ahn says the best way to drink kava is by chugging it, as to not prolong the taste, and after finishing, shouting “bula,” which means

“life” in Tongan. For Polynesians, kava is deeply embedded in their culture and drinking kava is a way to celebrate life and happiness.

Shouting “bula” is more than a Polynesian version of “cheers” — it is paying homage to a generations-old culture and tradition.

Doc Concrescence has an array of kavas to choose from and each type has a unique story and use from its culture of origin. The Black Lava Kava from Vanuatu, one of Doc Concrescence’s strongest kavas in stock, has been used by Polynesian headhunters since ancient times as a celebratory drink after hunts. The purple mo’i from Hawaii was served only to queens and seen as a delicacy for its potent sedation effect.

As a long-time kava drinker, Ahn shares these stories and introduces his guests to the

“We were never told to do anything,” Kowalski said. “We were never told to say anything or feel a certain way.”

On the show, the 22 contestants hang out and go on dates in order to determine who their match is. As with any dating show, the endgame is love, but also as with any dating show, the path there can be a rocky one.

In some ways, Kowalski’s description of their season is reminiscent of the hookup culture that dominates many college campuses today.

“There are so many hookups,” Kowalski said. “We get made fun of on social media all the time.”

However, Kowalski says enduring culture behind kava. A trip to Doc Concrescence for kava combines a unique bodily feeling and ancient traditions, while remaining modern and trendy.

Though kava is Doc Concrescence’s priority, they also feature a vast collection of teas from the Hunan province of China. Ahn said that the tea leaves come from trees in China that are around 800 to 1,000 years old.

The elixirs at Doc Concrescence are mixtures of natural and herbal ingredients, such as matcha and ashwagandha, and are made at the bar. Each elixir is supposed to invoke certain effects in the drinker. Doc Concrescence’s elixirs feature different themes based on their effects, and the current selection is inspired by the theme of aphrodisiacs.

Despite the short time Doc Concrescence has been open, Ahn already has plans for the future. He said he plans to stage poetry readings every Tuesday starting Feb. 21. He also hopes to host formal tea sippings on Wednesdays and live music performances on Fridays.

“Come and hang out,” Ahn said. “Use it for what its purpose is, which is a social club.”

Each type has a unique story and use from its culture and origin

that wasn’t her attitude toward the game, describing herself as more reserved.

“At the end of the day I was like, ‘I’m not going to let this game change who I am,’” Kowalski said. “Going into that house, I was serious about playing the game the way it’s supposed to be played.”

Kowalski said she is extremely happy with her experience on the show, and while she can’t disclose if she found love yet, she definitely found companionship.

“One thing that […] I’m so grateful for is I that made some friendships that honestly only this kind of experience could tie people together like this,” Kowalski said.

Now, post-filming, Kowalski says she’s stayed close with her former castmates, and looking toward the future she hopes to continue following her passion for television.

“If you want something, if you’re interested in something, always try new things, always try new experiences and that’s kind of how I was in Binghamton [University],” she said.

Kowalski feels that there is no specific way one should have to live their life.

“If you have a dream, don’t think that just because in the past you’ve done certain things that you have to follow a certain path,” she said.

Keep the sweet tooth coming this February Use your Valentine's leftovers — or buy candy on sale — to make a new treat Georgia Westbrook Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Whether you have a pile of candy left over from your significant other, or you raided the shelves of Walmart for a halfprice sugar fix, the shining light of Valentine’s Day is the candy.

From the quintessential heartshaped chocolates in a heartshaped box to the conversation hearts your mom mailed you in her attempt to be cute, you have plenty of options for reinventing your stash into something tasty and snackable. One of the best possible combinations is salty and sweet, and Pipe Dream has got you covered with our elevated treat.

Chocolate conversation pretzels Ingredients: — 12 Hershey’s Kisses, or other chocolate candies — 20 conversation hearts — 20 square pretzels 1. Unwrap your chocolates and place them in a microwave-

safe bowl. Microwave them on high power at 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is smooth.

2. Place the pretzels in a flat layer, either on parchment paper or on a plate that you can put in the freezer.

3. Spoon a small amount of chocolate onto each pretzel and place a conversation heart into the chocolate. If you don’t have conversation hearts, M&Ms or another colorful candy will also work well.

4. Place your plate of pretzels into the freezer for at least 30 minutes, or until the chocolate is hard, and serve.

To change up this recipe, you can swap in peanut butter cups for the Hersey’s Kisses and use peanut M&Ms instead of conversation hearts. Another possible combination is melted white chocolate on the pretzels with jelly hearts on top. So, get creative, treat yourself and bring the love after Valentine’s Day.

Kevin Sussy/Photography Editor Chocolate conversation pretzels are a tasty way to combine your favorite Valentine’s Day leftover candy.

OPINIONS Thursday, February 13, 2017

The fight for peace studies

Faculty put the proposed minor on hold for four years Mahvish Hoda

Guest Columnist

For the past four years, I have been working relentlessly to establish a peace studies minor at Binghamton University. In 2013, I created a proposal for the minor, which would combine peace and justice courses already offered at BU into one discipline and enable students to study peaceful conflict resolution and diplomacy. Then, I began the long journey of making proposals to departments that potentially could sponsor the minor.

Many times, my proposal was received with enthusiasm and praise. Departments agreed to offer courses toward the minor and provided advice and encouragement. However, each would later suddenly withdraw their support, often with little to no explanation as to why and they would often begin to ignore my attempts to contact them.

The political science and history departments have stated that they would only be willing to offer courses under the minor, while the philosophy department dropped contact with me after a couple of meetings.

The sociology and human development departments both seemed enthusiastic at first, but after several months of working with each, the sociology department decided the minor seemed “explicitly pacifist,” while the human development department backed out without providing me with an explicit reason.

I have spoken with President Harvey Stenger in regard to the minor and although he was supportive, he stated that the minor cannot make any progress without any department willing to sponsor it. I collected over 350 signatures on petitions for the minor. I met with several deans that have given me advice and explained the process of starting a new minor; yet again, without having a department to sponsor it, no progress can be made.

Local community members, including attorney Kathryn Madigan (also on the BU board of directors), Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and several others have also expressed their support. Frustrated by the lack of progress, I eventually emailed every faculty member of Harpur College of Arts and Sciences and received some messages of support, but still no one came forward to host the minor.

As the University is considered to be one of the “premier public universities in the northeast,” it seems peculiar that establishing a new minor has been so tough.

It is unclear why peace studies is being resisted in the way that it is. Whatever the reason may be, we have students that are already involved in student activism and it is only expected that we foster student interests by providing them with fresh opportunities.

U.S. college students have grown up witnessing their country engage in several wars and face mass shootings, hate crimes and violent conflicts.

In response, students have been extremely vocal in their opposition to large-scale injustices. Just a few years ago,

BU students were quick to show solidarity with the LGBTQ rights movement, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement, with several events and large protests being led by student groups on campus.

Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, activism has only been on the rise. It’s clear that students are discontent with the current state of humanity and wish to be able to make a change. Stenger recently released a statement in support of international students, and faculty members have attempted to turn the University into a sanctuary campus in order to make students of all backgrounds feel safe and welcome. Although BU students and faculty have gone above and beyond to show their support for student involvement and activism, the University curriculum has not yet been adjusted to reflect this.

A peace studies minor would change this. It would enable students to gain a greater understanding of the issues about which they they feel so passionately. Graduate students would be empowered to work toward reduction in conflicts such as shootings and hate crimes, gain a better understanding of people of different backgrounds, better domestic and foreign policy-making and have more expertise in promoting social justice in their personal lives.

Such a minor would cut across disciplines, preparing students for future jobs in fields such as education, law and justice, media and journalism, community organizing, cross-cultural programs, humanitarian action,

government and social work.

In fact, the University already has an individualized major program, which provides students in Harpur College with the opportunity to design their own program of study, as long as it provides “a theoretical and conceptual framework for a particular course of study” and may combine courses from three or more disciplines. The fact that almost nothing has come from my four-year effort to create the kind of program the University supposedly supports is understandably frustrating.

Peace studies is already offered in several schools around the nation as either a major or a minor. Manchester University in Indiana offers a peace studies major, while The Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame offers both a major and a minor in peace studies. Hobart and William Smith Colleges has a peace studies minor program which “promotes social justice and non-violent resolution of conflict in relations among individuals, groups, and societies.”

The work done thus far on peace studies may need a new approach or a fresh mind, but it should not be ignored and resisted in the way that it has been. If our University truly wants its students to contribute toward a better future, it should take us seriously when we aim to do so.

— Mahvish Hoda is a firstyear graduate student and the former president of Binghamton University Peace Action.

Pros, cons of Trump's economics Tax policies to be praised; levying of tariffs to be questioned Brian Deinstadt

Columnist

It has been a busy first few weeks for President Donald Trump. As the executive orders have been rolled out and the tweets published, controversy has ignited over much of what Trump says and does. Overshadowed by the infamous immigration ban have been his economic policies.

These should not go unnoticed because they will have a far greater impact on the average American than any immigration plan. Trump’s early economic approach includes some great ideas, but unfortunately, not without a few bad ones to match.

The first executive order that Trump signed targets The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and minimizes the economic burden that it places on Americans.

Considering that the act of repealing Obamacare will take quite some time, this executive order is aimed to alleviate its deleterious effects temporarily by loosening the obligation of government agencies to uphold certain provisions.

Obamacare has forced thousands of Americans to purchase lousy healthcare and has punished them where it hurts — their pockets — when they have refused to comply. It has also restricted thousands of small businesses from growing since they are wary of exceeding the 50-employee mark, the point at which companies would be responsible for providing healthcare for their employees. It

is reassuring to see that Trump is committed to nullifying a program that has had such disastrous effects on both the individual and the overall economy.

Another refreshing step taken by the Trump administration has been its promise to lower taxes at both the individual and corporate levels. The appeal of lower taxes at the individual level should require little explanation, but some may still denounce it due to it resulting in less tax revenue. Trump has answered such criticism by promising to cut superfluous government spending in the departments of commerce, energy and transportation. Such cuts are estimated to reduce spending by $10.5 trillion over the next 10 years. In a time where the federal deficit nears the height of $20 trillion, such actions should be welcomed.

The corporate tax cut may be less obviously positive, particularly for those who view corporations and their highearning CEOs as nefarious actors.

But in reality, corporations employ millions of people, distribute economic gains among their many stockholders and provide some of our favorite products and services. Abating the harsh tax burden and regulations on corporations would be beneficial for both consumers and the economy in general by freeing up more funds for corporations to willingly invest back into the U.S. economy.

Having granted praise where it ought to be given, we can now transition to Trump’s major economic flaws — the most prominent being his stance on tariffs. Trump wants to put the

United States first. In order to do so, he vows to bring massive levels of production back to the United States by incentivizing companies to produce here through tariffs.

This all-American approach may sound good, but it simply does not work. Tariffs are taxes on imports and have been used historically by the United States during periods of high unemployment to embolden struggling industries.

But tariffs cripple free trade (an inherent, constructive quality of capitalism) and reduce the efficiency of all countries involved — consequently lowering the standard of living and raising unemployment.

In some cases, other countries will even retaliate because of such restrictions. This is best shown by the passage of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act in the United States in 1930, which raised U.S. tariffs to record-high levels. As noted by economist Thomas Sowell of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in his book, “Basic Economics: A Citizen’s Guide to the Economy,” “the unemployment rate in the United States was 6 percent in June 1930 when the Smoot-Hawley tariffs were passed — down from its peak of 9 percent in December 1929. A year later, unemployment was 15 percent, and a year after that it was 26 percent.”

So rather than being a viable, long-term remedy for economic downturns, tariffs are more of a temporary resolution taken by politicians to provide immediate relief for particular industries, thus gaining the political and financial support of corporations or labor unions in that industry.

Trump’s discussion of tariffs

has mostly surrounded our southern neighbor, Mexico, to whom Trump has threatened to issue many tariffs in order to pay for his promised border wall.

This is quite foolish. Instituting such an action would disrupt the stable relations that we have had with Mexico for many years and hurt the U.S. economy for all the reasons mentioned above.

If Trump is so keen on fulfilling this promise, the United States should just pay for the wall itself.

It would cost around $15 billion, which is actually not a lot despite how much it seems. Constructing such a border wall is a perfectly valid idea, but sacrificing relationships with nearby allies and economic productivity to do so is simply not worth it.

As the rest of Trump’s first 100 days unfold (and the rest of his presidency, for that matter), we should remain alert and attentive to the long-term ramifications that his economic policies will have. To do so, we must first be intellectually honest. Far too many people portray every action that Trump takes as being the most evil act ever, even when he makes good decisions.

Instead, we should praise him when he does well and condemn him when he does poorly so that the bad things he does are actually taken seriously, rather than with the levity of which people have grown accustomed to. Through such honest discourse, we can narrow the lines of division and apply an objective lens in judging how Trump decides to craft the country for the next four years.

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

Views expressed in the Opinions Section represent the opinions of the columnists and guest writers. The views expressed in the letter to the editor on this page belong solely to its author, and not any organization or group.

Alumnus responds to Lubna Omar's Voices column Dear Editor, While I only took one Anthropology class before graduating Binghamton in 1998, I know that part of what makes BU the outstanding institution it is (and has always been) are faculty like Professor Lubna Omar. Professor Omar’s 02/09/2017 column, https:// w w w. b u p i p e d r e a m . c o m / opinion/77833/voices-visitingassistant-professor-lubna-omara-syrian-archaeologist-has-beenon-the-run-for-five-years/, is extraordinary for the story of success that shines through the troubles that she has experienced.

It is a tragedy of modern times that the tragic stories like Professor Omar’s experience is merely a pebble in a sea of woe.

Now more than ever it is critical to recall the entirety of the Emma Lazarus poem, especially the first lines: “Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, / With conquering limbs astride from land to

land; / Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand / A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame / Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name / Mother of Exiles.”

There are many people – I’d like to think myself and my fellow immigration lawyers included – working hard to ensure that the Mother of Exiles continues to welcome people like Professor Omar. While U.S. immigration laws can be harsh, I hope that Professor Omar consults with an good immigration lawyer to explore the avenues available to help find her a way to stay permanently and legally in the United States and continue making the contributions that she has clearly been working so hard on.

Sincerely, Adam Rosen Binghamton University Class of 1998

Reaching refugees

Fear is ingrained in humanity, but so is morality Aaron Bondar

Columnist

has also taught me about fear; the Holocaust is a brutal story about the depths of human evil which seem to have no end. My grandparents benefited from the kindness of some strangers, yes, but they also suffered unimaginably at the hands of others. The suspicion of others is not only a component of human history, it is our natural condition.

The fear of strangers is as much a part of our humanity as our ability to extend the boundaries of our moral concern beyond our families and our country. Human beings are chiefly concerned with security; security for themselves, but more importantly, security for the ones they love. And so fear itself has a moral component, the duties and responsibilities we have to protect those that matter to us most.

This makes it more urgent, not less, that we have an honest conversation about the benefits of an open and just society. It means we need to understand the fears of our fellow Americans. If you talk to them without judgment, but with empathy, with a heart filled less with scorn than with understanding, they’ll listen. They may be scared.

I’m scared, too. Life is unpredictable, and I don’t understand everything.

But I do know one thing: Fear is understandable, but it has no end.

Bravery, on the other hand, has the power to change our world.

In the Jewish legal tradition, which Adolf Hitler failed to eradicate, there is a principle of particular importance to me: “If one should save another, it is as if they have saved a whole world,” as it is written in the Talmud. Lately, we have become uncertain about moral truth, about what is good and what is not, about whether good even exists at all. Modern life has degraded our sense of meaning. So, cynicism, the conviction of meaninglessness, has been allowed to take root. An affirmation of our dedication to the value of human life could breathe new life into our society.

We can take the hands of strangers despite our fears of the unknown and remind ourselves of what exactly makes our country great. In doing so, we will, at the very least, save their worlds. Along the way, maybe we’ll save ours too.

In the early 1940s in Hungary, my grandmother and grandfather, then teenagers, were dating. By 1944, my grandfather had been sent to a forced labor camp and my grandmother to Auschwitz. They wouldn’t see each other again until their reunion years later in the state of Israel.

My grandmother recalls the feeling of helplessness following her liberation from the death camp.

The Nazis had robbed her of her childhood, of her mother and her sister. In the aftermath of the war, she was almost alone in the world: no country, no parents, relying on the kindness of strangers in a heartless world. “The Germans took everything and left me naked,” she once told me. “So I try to hold on to everything I can.”

Family is very important to my grandparents for obvious reasons.

They are aware of the contingency of life, how unexpected forces beyond their control could upend their lives in a moment. So they hold onto everything they can. If that means being extra worried, extra attentive, extra protective, then so be it. The need for constant vigilance is but one scar from a dark time that has left many more.

Now, all over our planet, there are refugees for whom the world is a dark and dangerous place. Though their circumstances are different from that of my grandparents, their fear and their loneliness are the same. We cannot help them all, but it’s important to do what we can.

Americans from all walks of life recognize that helping others will not only heal them, but will heal us too, and that engaging in repairing the world is a holy act that takes us beyond ourselves.

In the course of accepting our responsibility to help the lost and abandoned of our world, it is far too easy to dismiss those who are suspicious of other human beings as backward, bigoted, racist or any other kind of unhelpful epithets. It’s an inappropriate way to approach our fellow Americans.

If my family’s history taught me — Aaron Bondar is a sophomore about the importance of accepting double-majoring in economics and into our homes those in need, it political science.

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Thursday, February 13, 2017 Desperation

Nate Walker

Having a Car in Bing

Nate Walker

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A Happy Comic

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RELEASE DATE– Thursday, April 23, 2009

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

Sudoku #1

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ACROSS 1 Deli offering 5 Charge 11 “__ pinch of ...”: recipe words 15 Hardly the full gamut 16 High leader?

17 Close 18 Viva __: by word of mouth 19 *Parting words 21 Huge 23 Prankster’s cry 24 Nick name?

25 It’s too close to call 27 Self-seeker 29 One leaving a wake 30 Togo neighbor 31 Playground retort 32 Cleanup hitters’ stats 36 Cause of inflation?

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40 SASE, e.g.

41 NLRB part: Abbr.

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44 “Cool!”

46 Nutrition author Davis 48 “Don’t delay!”

49 Darling 52 “The Da Vinci Code” albino 53 100-member group 54 Safeco Field contest, to the Mariners 57 *Like unlikely chances 60 Hebrew for “skyward” 61 Yours, in Tours 62 Buck 63 Pro __ 64 Hamlet, for one 65 Takes the wheel 66 Barbara who played Jeannie DOWN 1 Eat 2 Thames landmark 3 *18th century French painting style

4 Ohio conservatory 5 Invite to a movie, say 6 NATO founding member 7 Golfer’s pocketful 8 Father of Dada 9 No. to which annual raises might be tied 10 Pocket Books logo 11 Barfly’s request 12 Wimbledon tie 13 Russian villa 14 Buddhist who has attained Nirvana 20 Upscale Italian shoe brand 22 Kenyan tribesman 25 Reduce in grade 26 Gut course 27 Former Archbishop of New York 28 Karmann __: sports car 29 Pain in the neck 31 “Love __ Around”: 1968 hit

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By Dan Naddor (c)2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

04/23/09

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SPORTS

bupipedream.com | February 16, 2017

Binghamton takes fifth place Freshmen impress at AE Championships

Kyle McDonald Assistant Sports Editor

Provided by BU Athletics Senior distance runner Eric Holt ran a personal best 4:02.05 mile at the Boston/Valentine Invitational.

Holt runs personal best Senior places fourth, nears four-minute mile

Orlaith McCaffrey Sports Editor

Binghamton distance runner Eric Holt was just two seconds away from becoming the third athlete in program history to break four minutes in the mile at the Boston/Valentine Indoor Meet last weekend.

Holt ran a personal-best time of 4:02.05, to take fourth place of 307 runners.

His time was the 40th-best recorded by a NCAA Division I runner this season.

“A lot of things went right,” Holt said. “One thing in particular was my mindset. In this race, I went with a more

patient method and let the race come to me. In the last quarter of the race, I had a lot more energy in the tank and therefore ran a faster time.”

The only other BU runners to achieve this feat were AllAmericans Erik van Ingen, ‘12, and Jesse Garn, ’16. In 2010, van Ingen put the BU program on the map by running 3:59.41 at the 2010 Penn State National Open. He bested this time at the 2012 Millrose Games with a time of 3:56.37. After leaving BU, van Ingen began to compete professionally at the Oregon Track Club.

As a junior in 2014, Garn recorded a time of 3:59.37

at the Boston/Last Chance Indoor Meet.

After graduating last May, Garn competed in the 800-meter at the U.S. Olympic Trials before signing a professional contract with the New Jersey*New York Track Club.

Fortunately for Holt, he has a multitude of opportunities to shave off two more seconds and solidify his place in program history.

His next chance to compete against conference competition will be at the America East Championships next weekend, followed by the ECAC/IC4A Championships on March 3-5 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Bearcat Season Roundup Men's Basketball

After a promising start to its season in nonconference play, Binghamton has struggled to meet expectations against the America East (AE). With just three games remaining, the Bearcats have hit a rough patch — they’ve now lost five straight games.

Their record precludes them from having home-court advantage in the AE Tournament; now BU is just fighting to get a better draw.

The Binghamton women’s swimming and diving team took part in the America East (AE) Conference Championships this past weekend. The event spanned four days and ended just as it has for the past three seasons: with UMBC easily taking the title. The Retrievers tallied 936.5 points, defeating second-place New Hampshire by 219 points.

The Bearcats, who recorded 364.5 points, placed fifth in the five-team field. Despite finishing in last place, BU improved its point total from last year’s championship, when it tallied 329.5 points.

“We’re headed in a really good direction, a very positive direction,” said BU head coach Brad Smith. “If we work on being more disciplined next year, in addition to maturity of our freshmen and sophomores, we’re headed in a great place and direction.”

The story of the weekend for BU was the performance of its freshmen. Six of the 10 swimmers who reached event finals for the Bearcats were rookies.

“One of the things that helped with the way our freshmen handled it is that we have so many of them this year,” Smith said. “There is confidence in numbers for them.”

Multiple Bearcats broke records in the pool during the championships.

Freshman Rebecca Nelson broke the 200 IM freshman record by .18 seconds while teammate Morgan Harrington set a freshman record in the 1,000-yard freestyle with a split time of 10:31.43.

Freshman Abby Koerwitz also made a huge impact for BU. She was a finalist in four different events, tied for the most of any Bearcat on the day. Her preliminary time in the 100-yard

backstroke broke a school record that had been set in 2003.

“The [freshmen] are focused; they’re mature beyond their years, they’re goal-oriented and they have confidence,” Smith said.

On the diving board, another rookie made her mark. Freshman Jaime Campbell took third in the three-meter dive and came in eighth place in the one-meter dive. She is one of only two BU divers on the roster.

“Jaime [Campbell] did a terrific job; I can’t believe how well she managed [the pressure],” Smith said. “What she did on three-meter was spectacular, especially in the last two rounds of diving under that pressure as a freshman.”

The most exciting race of the weekend may have been the 200-yard butterfly. Sophomore Brooke Pettis was out-touched for second place by only .06 of a second to finish in third.

Pettis led BU, bringing in the

most points on the BU squad.

She also finished third in the 100-yard butterfly.

“When I talk about Brooke, I always talk about heart,” Smith said. “She may not be the fastest girl … but when you get her in that race situation, you just trust in her to put her hand on that wall first.”

There were a total of six BU swimmers who were finalists in multiple events in the championships. Junior Maria Trivino competed in the 400 IM and 200 IM and finished fifth and seventh, respectively. Classmate Courtney Foley took home eighth in the 100 free and 10th in the 50 free.

UMBC had nine total winners on the day. The Retrievers’ 936.5 points set an AE record and became the first team to eclipse the 900-point mark.

“UMBC does a lot of things very well; it’s a credit to the coaching staff and the University,” Smith said.

Kevin Paredes/Assistant Photography Editor The Bearcats had six freshmen make event finals at the America East Swimming and Diving Championships.

9 ROUNDTRIPS A DAY Women's Basketball

The Bearcats have been up and down throughout conference play.

Redshirt sophomore guard Jasmine Sina — who was set to play a major role in BU’s offense — has struggled in her return after missing all of last year. While the Bearcats have challenged every opponent they’ve faced, they haven’t been able to knock off the top teams in the AE.

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Wrestling After a successful season last year, the Bearcats have gone 8-4 in Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association play so far this season.

Junior Steve Schneider continues to be the most powerful force on the BU wrestling team and is currently No. 15 at the 184-pound weight class in the country. Freshman Parker Kropman has exceeded expectations in his rookie season.

Track and Field On the men’s side, senior Eric Holt ran fourth in the mile at the Boston/ Last Chance Indoor meet. Graduate student Ethan Hausamann placed 13th in the men’s 5,000 meter, while junior Allison Davis finished 19th on the women’s side. The Bearcats will run in one more meet — the Marc Deneault Invitational — before the AE Indoor Championships on Feb. 24 and 25.

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Holt nears four-minute mile SEE PAGE 7 Thursday, February 16, 2017

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Baseball seeks return to NCAA Tournament After playoff loss, BU hungry for redemption Noah Bressner Assistant Sports Editor

Late in nonconference play of what was beginning to appear as a lost 2016 season, senior catcher Eddie Posavec and senior first baseman Brendan Skidmore talked about the state of the Binghamton baseball team.

Sitting inside of their hotel room in a SpringHill Suites near Philadelphia, Posavec and Skidmore grew increasingly frustrated at the Bearcats’ 2-13 start to the season. They knew BU was better than its record indicated, but couldn’t figure out why the team wasn’t playing up to expectations.

“We just didn’t understand what was going on,” Posavec said. “We knew we had the talent to be a good team, but for some reason we couldn’t put all the pieces together.”

With America East (AE) play set to begin a week later, Posavec and Skidmore realized that the Bearcats needed to change quickly.

The last thing BU wanted was a repeat of 2015’s devastating lastplace finish, which came just one year after winning the AE Championship.

But all of a sudden, BU’s starting rotation — which had struggled mightily in nonconference play — hit its stride. The Bearcats’ bats heated up, and the errors made by its defense were few and far apart.

BU won 25 of its 40 remaining regular-season games — taking

the AE regular-season crown, and carrying its momentum to a conference championship.

The Bearcats will now seek to repeat their late-season success and return to the NCAA Tournament, while looking to transcend the cyclical struggles they faced in 2015.

“I certainly think we’re capable of once again winning a conference championship,” said BU head coach Tim Sinicki. “But the league is very, very good — as good as it has ever been.”

BU will return to the field this season without five graduated players, all of whom experienced three conference championships in four years. Four of those players — second baseman Reed Gamache, third baseman David Schanz, starting pitcher Mike Bunal and closer Rob Hardy — held key roles in leading the Bearcats to their recent successes, leaving behind questions of who will replace their production on the mound and at the plate.

“Mike [Bunal] is a great guy, we’re definitely going to miss him,” said redshirt senior pitcher Jake Cryts. “He taught all of our pitchers to pitch with the same tenacity that he does. You knew when he was going out on the mound that you were going to get his best stuff.”

Some of those questions will be answered by the impressive slate of returning players — six of whom were named to AE All-Conference teams, including junior center

fielder CJ Krowiak, junior catcher Jason Agresti and Skidmore.

It has not yet been decided, however, who will replace Gamache at second base and Bunal in the starting rotation. Sinicki was reluctant to discuss the decision prior to the start of the season.

Third baseman Justin Yurchak, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Wake Forest, will also be expected to step up this season.

Yurchak started 47 games for the Demon Deacons as a freshman before missing last season due to NCAA regulations. In 2015, he batted .313 and tallied five home runs, eight doubles and 33 RBIs before being named to the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Freshman Team.

This year, BU will take its nonconference record with a grain of salt, using those games to evaluate players and improve on the field before AE play begins on March 18. AE coaches ranked BU No. 1 in the preseason poll. Last year, the Bearcats were selected to finish fifth.

“What we’re going to try to do is get our guys to peak not here in February or March, but to play our best baseball in April and May, which we have a history of doing,” Sinicki said.

The Bearcats are set to begin their season on Friday against New Mexico. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. from Santa Ana Star Field in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The series will continue with games on Saturday and Sunday.

Baseball .292 5.08 9

Team batting average

Team earned run average (ERA)

National rank in fielding percentage

Orlaith McCaffrey Sports Editor

For much of the 2016 season, the Binghamton softball team was at the top of its game.

After recording the third-best batting average among NCAA Division I teams and securing the America East (AE) regularseason title, it seemed as though the Bearcats were destined to win their second straight conference championship.

However, that goal fell through on BU’s home field during the AE Tournament. BU suffered losses to Maine and Albany in the second and third rounds and was eliminated from contention.

Despite the unexpected end to the Bearcats’ postseason, BU head coach Michelle Burrell Johnston, who was selected as the 2016 AE Softball Coach of the Year, wants her team to remember how last season ended.

“We probably put a little extra pressure on ourselves that we didn’t really need to, so we’re going to use it as a learning experience and go from there,” Burrell Johnston said.

The squad taking the field this year won’t include a talented group of six seniors who led the program to its first AE Title in 2015. One of the biggest losses to graduation is right fielder Sydney Harbaugh, who hit a team-best .439 in conference play last year and holds program

records for hits (190), runs (152) and stolen bases (95).

Another player who will be sorely missed in the Bearcats’ lineup is utility player Griffin McIver. McIver led BU with 14 home runs last year, contributing largely to BU’s reputation as a power-hitting team.

Although the Bearcats will carry fewer power bats than they have in past seasons, they plan to use their quickness on the base paths to their advantage.

“I think we’ve got pretty good speed throughout our entire lineup, and we’ve got some speed on our bench,” Burrell Johnston said. “I think we’re going to try to use that a little bit more, putting runners in motion using hit-and-runs, slap-and-runs, those kind of things.”

Replacing last year’s senior class is a group of nine freshmen.

To compare, there were just two rookies on the team last season.

“Youth always brings energy, so I definitely think that they’ve brought that,” Burrell Johnston said. “Some of our freshmen had a high-quality travel ball experience where they got to play some really good competition around the country, so I definitely think they’re prepared.”

The area in which the Bearcats’ rookie class will be expected to contribute right away is on the mound. After the graduation of two pitchers and the transfer of sophomore starter Sarah Miller — who was

named Most Valuable Player of the 2015 AE Tournament — to Kansas during the offseason, BU lacks experience inside the circle.

“I think we’re the youngest and most inexperienced on the mound right now, so we’re just going to expect them to show some leadership,” Burrell Johnston said. “We’re just going to have to grow and get better every game that they play.”

BU’s top returner is junior Jessica Rutherford, who has anchored the Bearcats’ outfield since her freshman year. As a sophomore, Rutherford was a clutch hitter in the middle of the order, recording a .441 batting average and 48 RBIs before being selected as the BU Female Athlete of the Year.

The Bearcats were recently chosen to finish second — behind last year’s champion Maine — in the AE preseason coaches’ poll.

“I think we made great progress last year winning the America East regular-season title,” said senior outfielder Gabby Bracchi. “I think that we have a lot of motivation, we have a lot of grit and we’re hungry for another America East Championship.”

The Bearcats are set to kick off their season tonight at the Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Invitational in Clearwater, Florida. Their first game is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. against Wisconsin.

Softball .348 55 9

Team beating average

Runs scored by senior outfielder Gabby Bracchi

Freshmen on the team

Airi Kojima/Design Assistant