Postcards
in BU Art Museum,
send political message
The Free Word on Campus Since 1946
Thursday, May 4, 2017 | Vol. XCI, Issue 27 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com
Campus loses power as thunderstorm batters region
See page 5.
Heightened police force vowed after shootings
DAY 7 See Page 3 for updates
NYSEG hurries to restore electricity to 17,000 residents in Broome County
Mayor David, BPD chief promise added measures following recent DT murders
Amy Donovan
Orla McCaffrey
Assistant News Editor
News Editor
The week got off to a dark start for Binghamton University students and Broome County residents alike on Monday evening when a thunderstorm brought down a power line, causing a power outage on campus and around the county. On campus, power was out for almost eight hours. Approximately 17,000 Broome County residents were left without power on Monday night, according to the Press & Sun-Bulletin. At approximately 7:53 p.m. Monday night, power went out throughout campus, leaving all buildings without electricity. Some residential communities, including Dickinson Community, used emergency generators to light the hallways, but students’ rooms were left dark. Other dorms, such as those in Mountainview College and College-in-the-Woods, were without any power until full power was restored to all of campus at approximately 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Ryan Yarosh, ‘02, director of media and
In response to two recent homicides, the Binghamton Police Department has pledged to utilize a number of “proactive policing measures” to close current cases and de-escalate instances of violence. “We will allocate additional resources to both investigative efforts and neighborhood patrols to send a very clear message that violence is not tolerated in our community,” said Binghamton Mayor Rich David at a press conference at City Hall on Monday. On April 22, 22-year-old Brandon Hernandez was shot dead in the parking lot of an after-hours club near the corner of Orton Avenue and Main Street on the West Side. Jihad Ray has been charged with second-degree murder in the incident. Ray, 26, is a former member of the MacBallers, a branch of the Bloods gang. Less than a week later, on April 28, 24-year-old Tyquan Gumbs was shot and killed on Fayette Street in Downtown Binghamton. The suspects in that shooting remain at large. The murders are the third and fourth
SEE OUTAGE PAGE 2
Kojo Senoo/Contributing Photographer Students march on campus on Monday in protest of University-funded installation of blue lights on the West Side of the city of Binghamton.
SEE POLICE PAGE 2
Sierra Club Media experts discuss credibility in culture of 'fake news' Professionals encourage obtaining information from varied sources to gain perspective demands change in Washington Orla McCaffrey News Editor
Local residents, BU students join 200K activists at People's Climate March Peter Brockwell
As the popular adage goes: a lie travels around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. To share tips on distinguishing false information from accurate news, a panel of local media professionals spoke at a seminar titled “How to be a Truth Seeker” Tuesday evening at the University Downtown Center. Since last year’s presidential campaign, “fake news” and “alternative facts” have
become household terms. According to panelist Sarah Maximiek, a subject librarian at Binghamton University, there are simple ways to determine whether an article’s claims are legitimate, including researching the date of publication, any referenced sources and most importantly, the author. “See if the author knows anything about what they’re writing or if they’re just some guy in a basement,” Maximiek said. Maximiek said there are three categories of fake news: fake news,
which is based on inaccurate or untrue information; biased news, which is based in fact but has a definite spin in one direction; and satire news, which can be found in sources like The Onion. She stressed the value of acquiring news from multiple, varied outlets. “The more diverse your news sources are, the more points of view you’re getting on every story,” she said. John Roby, an investigative reporter for the Press & Sun-Bulletin, the Binghamton area’s largest daily newspaper, said that a
key to determining a story’s credibility is developing a “data state of mind.” “When you want to check out the veracity of something, my advice is always go to the data,” he said. Roby cited publicly available resources such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s yearly data on index crimes, which account for the eight most common violent and nonviolent crimes in the United States. He suggested seeking
SEE MEDIA PAGE 2
EOP, SSS programs prepare freshmen for college
Summer workshops, courses introduce incoming students to University resources
Pipe Dream News
Over 200,000 demonstrators took part in the People’s Climate March in Washington, D.C. last Saturday. Forty-three of these protesters, who walked across the National Mall before moving down Pennsylvania Avenue to surround the White House, traveled f rom Binghamton. The group, which included faculty and graduate students from Binghamton University, traveled to the nation’s capital to show their disapproval of the current administration’s environmental policies on the 100th day of Donald Trump’s presidency. The bus trip was organized by the Susquehanna Group, an organization committed to environmental advocacy in Broome, Chenango and Delaware counties, primarily. The Susquehanna Group acts as a local chapter of the Sierra Club, a national environmental organization. According to Susquehanna Group Chair Scott Lauffer, the group aims to explore and protect the earth and educate the larger population about the dangers humans can pose to the environment. Lauffer said members of the group traveled to Washington because
Allison Detzel Staff Writer
As the semester winds down and students prepare to leave campus for the summer, many freshmen will soon begin their journey at Binghamton University — a few weeks earlier than their fellow classmates. Members of the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and Student Support Services (SSS) participate in summer residency programs that strive to provide first-generation and low-income college students with the tools needed to successfully navigate college life. EOP began in 1968 at BU and has developed into a four-week residential summer program called the Binghamton Enrichment Program (BEP,) in which new students take courses in math, writing, chemistry, geography and human development. During BEP, students attend workshops on study habits, financial aid and academic advising and discuss different aspects of campus life with peer mentors. Calvin Gantt, the current director and
SEE CLIMATE PAGE 2
SEE EOP PAGE 2
ARTS & CULTURE
Provided by Student Support Services
Pictured: Members of the Educational Opportunity Program and Student Support Services program.
OPINIONS
SPORTS
Get in the Spring Fling spirit with our playlist,
Stand-up specials to watch on Netflix now,
Columnists Sarah Saad and Giovanna Bernardo sign off in their senior columns,
Baseball defeats St. Bonaventure on walk-off grand slam,
Golderman discusses breaking women’s lacrosse goals record,
See page 5
See page 5
See page 6
See page 8
See page 8
2
NEWS
bupipedream.com | May 4, 2017
Campus power outage Activists lasts for eight hours protest OUTAGE FROM PAGE 1
Orla McCaffrey/News Editor John Roby, an investigative reporter for the Press & Sun-Bulletin, and Sarah Maximiek, a subject librarian at BU, participate in the “How to be a Truth Seeker” panel at the University Downtown Center on Tuesday evening.
Panel advocates for 'truth seeking' MEDIA FROM PAGE 1 out data that can support or refute a given claim, but remaining aware of the type of information and the context in which it was collected. “The data that you look at is only as good as the methods used to collect them,” Roby said. “Every data set has some strength and some limitations. Is the data you’re looking at actually answering the question you want answered?” For Bob Joseph, a panelist and WNBF talk show host, researching often comes on the fly when trying to verify statements made by the guests of his show. “It’s working without a safety net,” Joseph said. “My net is a seven-second digital delay, which doesn’t give me a lot of cushion. If someone says something and it’s completely erroneous and I haven’t challenged it, I have failed to a degree.”
Joseph’s regular guests include Binghamton Mayor Rich David and Broome County Executive Jason Garnar, who are tasked with answering questions from the public in a live and unedited format. He said that it’s important for elected officials to routinely be held accountable by t heir constituents. He also noted the susceptibility of media outlets to make mistakes in their reporting or have an underlying agenda. “Every reputable news organization, from time to time, has had problems because we employ humans,” Joseph said. “News organizations have to admit they’ve made errors and everybody has to really work to maintain, and in some cases, re-earn credibility.” Following the discussion, which was co-sponsored by the Press & Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton University’s College
of Community and Public Affairs and its department of public administration, the approximately 100 attendees were able to direct questions at each speaker. Tony Burshnick, an accountant and city of Binghamton resident, said he came to the event to learn more about the information he was already receiving. “I’m reasonably well-informed already, but there are some holes in my data, so I wanted the chance to find out more about what’s going on, especially locally,” he said. Burshnick said a commitment to challenging what one is told is imperative, especially in the current political climate. “Trying to ferret out the truth is difficult, but you can’t stop asking questions,” he said. “Don’t ever stop searching because there’s always more information out there.”
Success Doesn’t Stop For Summer. Binghamton students, headed home for the summer break? If so, enroll in Summer Session at Suffolk County Community College and get a head start on next semester or even make up a course. Both the eight-week and first five-week sessions start on May 30th, with another five-week session starting June 29th.
Only $199 Per Credit!
Make the most of your break with Summer Session at Suffolk. Enroll in fall classes, too! Call 631-451-4111 or visit us online.
sunysuffolk.edu/SummerSessions
public relations at BU, wrote in an email that the emergency power is used to ensure safety and that Physical Facilities was prompt in making sure the emergency power was working in each building. “The partial lighting is the emergency power which lights hallways and stairwells for safety and evacuation purposes,” Yarosh wrote. “Our Physical Facilities staff should be commended as they were quick to ensure that emergency generators were functional and that buildings got back online as soon as they could.” Binghamton’s New York State University Police Department (UPD) Chief Tim Faughnan wrote in an email that when it comes to blackouts, UPD has various protocols, which depend on the source of the outage. In this case, the residence halls were the top priority. Although most campus services were unavailable due to the blackout, Faughnan wrote that UPD continued to receive calls reporting crimes during the outage, adding to the chaos of the night. “We respond to emergency calls such as entrapments and alarms that are caused by the power failure as they come in, and rely on the Res Life Staff to notify us of any life safety issue which will receive priority,” Faughnan wrote. “When these situations occur, we commonly also
continue to receive the normal calls for assistance or crime reports so the situation is always a very fluid one.” Faughnan also wrote that UPD officers had to make sure various laboratories on campus were safe and undamaged. “Additionally, we have many very sensitive laboratories that require attention because of chemical containment equipment, exhaust hoods, and other research work that could be lost,” Faughnan wrote. “Many labs were also occupied last night as well.” Some students didn’t know what had happened when the power first went out. Olivia Baerga, a sophomore majoring in English, said she was unsure what to think about the blackout until she realized the entire campus did not have power. “I was in my room and I was in the middle of FaceTiming my parents, so when the lights went out they were asking what happened,” Baerga said. “I went out into my suite and realized we just lost all power. I was scared when the lights first went out, but then when I realized we were all in the same boat, it was alright.” Power has been operating on campus since early Tuesday morning, but according to the New York State Electric and Gas Corporation, approximately 500 customers in Broome County were still without power as of May 3.
Shootings spur added measures POLICE FROM PAGE 1 in Binghamton this year. From January to December 2016, five homicides were recorded in the city. In 2015 and 2014, the numbers were eight and two, respectively. Binghamton Police Department Chief Joseph Zikuski said the department believes the shootings are gang-related and connected to each other. “This is not isolated; these are not random,” he said. “These are some people that know each other and have a beef for some reason. The Binghamton Police Department nor the mayor is going to tolerate these thugs shooting up our streets, whether they’re shooting themselves or innocent bystanders. We’re not going to let them carry on the way they’ve been carrying on.” David said the heightened measures will include more patrols in hotspot areas, additional detective squad personnel and further efforts that could not be shared publicly. According to Zikuski, the short
amount of time between incidents makes them unique. “I’ve been here 38 years and I don’t ever remember two homicides in six days,” he said. “I don’t think it’s ever happened like this before.”
These are people that know each other and have a beef for some reason — Joseph Zikuski Binghamton Police Chief
Trump policies
CLIMATE FROM PAGE 1 they find many of Trump’s environmental policies alarming, particularly those involving the United States’ potential withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and the dismantling of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “There’s some horrible things going on,” Lauffer said. “If we can survive four years of it, maybe the damage can be kept to a minimum. But all along it’s been about keeping the damage of climate change to a minimum.” Lauffer said he did not have much confidence that the current administration will change its stance on climate change, but that the American people have an opportunity to take a stand by electing representatives who believe in environmental action. “When we march and rally I think we’re talking more to the public and kind of trying to get media exposure,” Lauffer said. “In 2018, the next big election that’s not that far off, we can do a lot with a change in Congress and the Senate to stymie some of Trump’s plans.” Carl Lipo, director of the environmental studies program at BU, echoed Lauffer’s stance on the march and wrote in an email that demonstrations like the People’s Climate March are important in showing policymakers the will of the people. “Whether or not any individual will make a direct change is not necessarily the point; the marches help to provide courage to those willing to stand up and take this issue seriously,” Lipo wrote. “It provides a measure of public support for citizens, business leaders and politicians who are willing to challenge the status quo.” Devin DiGiacopo, a secondyear graduate student studying biology, said he attended the march to protest the current administration making “a mockery” of science. DiGiacopo said he hoped the nation’s current policies would spur his fellow citizens to vote in the 2018 election. “Large portions of the population were absent at the polls and now we are stuck with the current administration,” DiGiacopo said. “Until we get another chance to elect a reasonable leader, we need to be active and stand together to prevent the undermining of our nation’s people, resources and ideals.”
Freshmen aided by summer programs EOP FROM PAGE 1 a 1992 graduate of EOP, said BEP is designed to introduce students to a variety of the University’s resources with the hope of not only encouraging retention and graduation rates among its participants, but to assist them in building social connections. “The objective of BEP is to build positive relationships with EOP staff, instructors, classmates and other University officials, and to enhance the confidence and self-determination of incoming students,” Gantt said. According the University’s EOP page, the program has a retention rate of 98 percent from freshman to sophomore year and a graduation rate that is higher than the national average for other EOP students. SSS also offers a summer program known as Student Support Services Summer Program (S4P). Stephen Rebello, the assistant director and an academic adviser for SSS, said that S4P began in
2010 and is designed to give up to 70 students the resources they need to more easily transition from high school to college. SSS works with TRiO, a federal service outreach program aimed at assisting students from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. TRiO differs from financial aid programs because it also addresses barriers to education that occur because of class, cultural or social reasons. “Our goal for the program is to give students a head start at Binghamton University,” Rebello said. “When they arrive here in the fall, we hope that they have a working knowledge of the resources on offered on campus, some strategies for success, a network of faculty and staff to help them and strong friendships with a few of their fellow peers.” During S4P, students spend a week meeting faculty, staff and learning about campus resources, such as financial aid and advising, all while building connections with one another through games and trips. This is followed by a
three-week online workshop, aimed at preparing students for college-level math, writing and science courses. Students return to campus three days earlier than the official move-in date to participate in additional workshops in preparation for the semester. Daniel Arey, a sophomore majoring in human development, took part in S4P prior to his freshman year. He served as a TRiO mentor last year, leading group activities and helping prepare students for the semester. Arey is returning this year as the lead TRiO mentor and said S4P helped him not only build academic relationships, but also lasting friendships. “I learned the campus far before I moved in, [and] gained a much wider view of the resources available to me than my peers,” Arey said. “I also met my closest friends at Binghamton while participating in the program. S4P drastically shaped the direction my entire college career is slated to take.”
PAGE III Thursday, May 4, 2017
aDDress: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902
Update: Blue-light protest reaches seven-day mark Today marks the seventh day of the occupation of the Couper Administration Building by students protesting the University’s backing of the proposed installation of a bluelight system on the West Side. On Monday, administrators and offices normally housed in the building were relocated to other locations including the Innovative Technologies Complex and the Southern Tier Incubator in Downtown Binghamton. Later that day, protestors marched from the
phone: 607-777-2515
Blackout in Bartle
fax: 607-777-2600 web: bupipedream.com
Spring 2017
Pegasus Statue to the Couper Administration Building, walking through Glenn G. Bartle Library, the University Union and College-in-theWoods. A Dateline notice was sent out on Tuesday to the campus community to announce that offices had been moved. The sit-in has garnered attention from local news outlets, including WBNG and The Press & Sun-Bulletin. Protestors have vowed to continue the sit-in until their demands are met.
eDitor-in-Chief* Gabriella A. Weick editor@bupipedream.com Managing eDitor* Noah Bressner manager@bupipedream.com news eDitor* Orla McCaffrey news@bupipedream.com asst. news eDitors Amy Donovan Jillian Forstadt Sasha Hupka opinions eDitor* Caleb D. Schwartz opinions@bupipedream.com asst. opinions eDitor Emily Kaufman arts & Culture eDitor* Georgia Westbrook arts@bupipedream.com
Pipe Line LOCAL NEWS
STATE NEWS
Newborn giraffe named
Gillibrand rules out 2020 presidential run
The male calf born to April the giraffe nearly three weeks ago finally has a name: Tajiri. Following the birth at Animal Adventure Park in Harpursville, park owner Jordan Patch launched a Facebook voting contest. The option that won — “Allysa’s choice” — allowed April’s keeper, Allysa Swilley, to decide on a name. The zoo intends on using the nickname “Taj” in the future. Binghamton prepares for seventh annual Bridge Run More than 1,000 runners are expected to turn out Sunday, May 7 for the Greater Binghamton Bridge Run, which includes 5K and halfmarathon races. The half-marathon course starts at NYSEG Stadium in Downtown Binghamton before traveling along the Chenango and Susquehanna rivers, crossing four bridges and passing under another one.
asst. arts & Culture eDitors Kara J. Brown Rachel Greenspan sports eDitor* Samuel Ditchek sports@bupipedream.com
New York state Sen. Kirsten Orla McCaffrey/News Editor Gillibrand announced Monday in an Students gather in the lobby of the Glenn G. Bartle Library after power was lost across campus Monday evening. interview with Spectrum News that she is not considering seeking the Democratic nomination in 2020. Instead, she plans to focus on her re-election to the Senate in 2018. NATIONAL NEWS Suspect charged in Austin stabbing at University of Texas at Austin Kendrex White, a University of Texas at Austin student, has been charged with murder, according to the Dallas Morning News. He is accused of embarking on a stabbing rampage that left freshman Harrison Brown dead and three more students injured. White is being held without bail in Travis County Jail.
“If the election had been on Oct. 27, I would be your president.”
Police Watch Student caught with BB gun behind Newing College SUNDAY, April 30, 5:57 p.m. — Officers responded to the creek between Murray Hill Road and Newing College after receiving report of an individual shooting a BB gun on campus, said Investigator Dennis Bush of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. Officers were given a description of the suspect and were told the direction in which he had been seen moving. Upon arriving at the creek, officers searched the wooded area surrounding the creek by foot, eventually making contact with the suspect, an 18-year-old male. When the male was asked if he knew why the officers wanted to speak with him, he responded that it was because of his BB gun, which he had discarded elsewhere in the wooded area. He stated that he had been shooting at trees in the woods. Officers located and confiscated the gun.
— Hillary Clinton, speaking to CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour about the 2016 Faculty member presidential election. trapped in Student
Corrections Pipe Dream strives for accuracy in all we publish. We recognize that mistakes will sometimes occur, but we treat errors very seriously. If you see a mistake in the paper, please contact Editor-in-Chief Gabriella Weick at editor@bupipedream.com.
Wing elevator MONDAY, May 1, 4:22 p.m. — Officers responded to the Student Wing for an elevator entrapment, Bush said. Upon arriving at the scene, the officer noted that the elevator was stuck on the second floor and was occupied by one individual, a 60-year-old female faculty member. The officer made contact with the trapped female by knocking on the door of the elevator and speaking loudly. She asked the officer to notify her class that she was stuck, and to tell her students not to leave. The officer spoke with her students to relay her message. Approximately 25 minutes later, a maintenance worker arrived and was able to fix the elevator.
Sasha Hupka Police Correspondant
Vandalism reported on second floor in Delaware Hall TUESDAY, May 2, 8:04 a.m. — A 46-year-old female contacted police to report property damage in Delaware Hall of Newing College, Bush said. Officers responded and observed that the door to a secondfloor study lounge had been damaged. The bottom window of the door had been shattered, and the female stated that she had noticed that the window of the door was intact the day before. Officers questioned several residents in the area, but no further information was obtained. There are currently no suspects and a work order has been placed. BMW owner mistaken for suspect TUESDAY, May 2, 2:53 p.m. — A 21-yearold female contacted police to report a suspicious person in the upper level of the paid parking lot near Hinman College, Bush said. The female stated that the male appeared to be trying to take emblems off of BMW cars in the lot. Officers were given a description of the suspect and checked all of the BMWs in the lot, but they did not observe any visible damage to the vehicles and were not able to locate anybody matching the suspect’s description. At 9:30 a.m. the following day, an officer observed an individual matching the description while on patrol. The officer made contact with the individual, a 19-year-old male student. While conversing with the male, it was established he was the same person from the lot. He stated that he owned a BMW, and that he had purchased sport emblems for his vehicle. The male stated that he had been changing the emblems on his vehicle the day before in the parking lot.
asst. sports eDitors Evan Cole Grace Palumbo photography eDitor* Kevin E. Paredes photo@bupipedream.com asst. photography eDitor Rebecca Kiss fun eDitor* Nate Walker fun@bupipedream.com
Design Manager* Casey Tin design@bupipedream.com Design assts. Cory Bremer Shawn Fleming Jonathan Flores Copy Desk Chief* Shauna R. Bahssin copy@bupipedream.com asst. Copy Desk Chief Bridget McCusker Digital eDitor Alana B. Epstein digital@bupipedream.com newsrooM teChnology Manager* Henry Zheng tech@bupipedream.com asst. newsrooM teCh. Manager Michelle Tan eDitorial artist Jorden James business Manager* Andrew Genussa business@bupipedream.com asst. business Manager Maryam Soomro businessassistant@bupipedream.com Distribution Manager Elizabeth Standard distribution@bupipedream.com Pipe Dream is published by the Pipe Dream Executive Board, which has sole and final discretion over the newspaper’s content and personnel. *Positions seated on the Executive Board are denoted by an asterisk. Pipe Dream is published Mondays and Thursdays 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. Any facts referenced must be properly cited from credible news sources. Pipe Dream reserves the right to edit submissions, and does not guarantee publication. All submissions become property of Pipe Dream. Submissions may be emailed to the Opinions Editor at opinions@bupipedream.com.
stabilizing: newbie
clementine :destabilizing
4
NEWS
bupipedream.com | May 4, 2017
Take One Video at Munchies set to close doors at end of spring semester University Union staple since 1980's to shut down after competition from C-Stores, rising minimum wage Hannah Walter Staff Writer
Since the 1980's, Munchies has been a staple in the basement of the University Union, providing Binghamton University students with snacks and convenience store items. In the fall of 2006, the business merged with Take One Video, a DVD rental store on campus. Now, Take One Video at Munchies will be closing its doors for good at the end of the semester. Carl Darling, assistant director of the University Union, said the Office of the Dean of Students decided to close the store after a number of unprofitable years. He attributed the lack of revenue partially to the steadily rising minimum wage. “The store was opened as a place where the students could get munchies at a reasonable price without leaving campus,” Darling wrote in an email. “It never made a lot of money but we kept it open as long as we could.” So far, nothing is planned to replace the space. However, once the Dean of Students Office develops a proposal, it will seek student input. The original
Munchies, which was located in the Undergrounds table tennis room, came to fruition after a group of students wanted an oncampus grocery store in the 1980s. The University Union then stepped in to help the plan get off the ground, and two decades later, the store merged with Take One Video. In 2009, Munchies moved to its current location. However, in recent years, the popularity and need for the store began to dwindle, especially after two C-Stores were established in Hinman College and College-inthe-Woods. “Even though we tried to keep our prices below the C-Stores, students preferred them since they were more convenient and they could use their meal cards there,” Darling said. “We tried to increase our walk-in traffic by offering free DVD rentals hoping it would increase business, but it wasn’t enough for us to continue.” Moshe Ohana, a senior majoring in accounting, has worked at the store since the fall of 2015. He said he believes movie streaming services contributed to the loss of profits and closing of the store. “We really haven’t been making
any money in the past few years,” Ohana said. “I think that’s because of the rise of people using Netflix and other sources for consuming media and entertainment because a lot of our income did come from the movie section.” Due to the closing, Munchies is holding a sale that will run until the last day of final exams, and features DVDs on sale for as low as 25 cents. “I felt that it would be a good idea to sell the DVDs off cheap so our students could afford to buy many,” Darling said. “Since the campus community had supported us for all these years we wanted them to be able to end up with some bargains.” Some students expressed dismay about the closing, citing it as one of their favorite places on campus. Brandon Gates, a senior majoring in sociology, said he goes to the store almost every day and hopes that something similar will take its place. “I’m disappointed in the closing,” Gates said. “I hope another convenience-type store that has quick breakfast food, drinks and health supplies opens there. That’s what I usually used the store for.”
Raquel Panitz/Pipe Dream Photographer Take One Video at Munchies, the campus DVD and convenience stores, are set to close at the end of the semester.
ARTS & CULTURE Spring Fling Playlist Kara Brown and Patty Nieberg/Arts & Culture Spring Fling is this weekend and provides the perfect opportunity to let loose and have fun. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of Mac Miller or Ty Dolla $ign, or don’t know much about them, get ready for Saturday with our playlist here and online on our Spotify account, @bupipedream.
“Paranoid” — Ty Dolla $ign feat. B.o.B. This song is essentially “John Tucker Must Die” in a hip-hop song — and it’s the perfect background music for a Snapchat to guilt trip your significant other. However, if you feel you personally identify with the lyrics in this song, you may want to reconsider your choice in partner.
“Best Day Ever” — Mac Miller Rebecca Kiss/Assistant Photography Editor Juanita Rodriguez, curator of Ambra Polidori’s untitled exhibition on display at the Binghamton University Art Museum and a first-graduate student studying history, holds one of the postcards featured in the piece. The display is a series of postcards of missing Mexican students surrounded by tea lights.
Museum shows postcards of tragedy
New exhibition pays tribute to missing Mexican teens Hannah Reichelscheimer Contributing Writer At first glance, a series of shelves showcasing photographs of young people with tea lights in front of them may seem like nothing more than a simple memorial for a tragedy. However, with the fate of those photographed yet unknown, Ambra Polidori’s piece is anything but simple. The Mexican artist uses postcards to bring to light the disappearance of 43 Mexican students. Polidori’s untitled exhibition is currently on display at the Binghamton University Art Museum. Gifted by John Tagg, a distinguished professor of art history, the piece is a part of Polidori’s collection, “¡Qué chulo es México!” and is on display in the main gallery. The piece is a collection of 43 photographs on postcards surrounded by tea lights. Those pictured are students who went missing in the city of Iguala in Geurrero, Mexico, after municipal officers opened fire on their bus. The students were on their way to a student protest in Mexico City commemorating the 1968 Student Massacre of
Tlatelolco. Only two out of the 43 students who disappeared that day have yet been confirmed dead. The special installation debuted on April 18 and will remain on display until May 20. Polidori utilizes photographs of the missing students which have been widely employed in mass protests regarding their disappearance and assumed murder. The postcards contain the watermark “¡Qué chulo es México!” or “How Beautiful Mexico Is!” and so with this display, Polidori comments on the ironic use of postcards as a tourist souvenir in Mexico. Other pieces in this collection have been exhibited at festivals in Mexico and abroad, including the National Image Festival and the National Council for Culture and the Arts in Mexico. In response to this openly political message, Luis Garrido, a first-year graduate student studying sociology, said messages with this gravity are inevitable in any kind of art. “I don’t think it is possible to separate politics from art,” Garrido said. Juanita Rodriguez, a guest curator for the installation and a first-year graduate student in
history, said she became involved in this project while taking an art history seminar with Tagg. “It is an unsolved case, and what is worse: no one is accountable yet,” Rodriguez said. “So, that’s why I tried to follow that and symbolize that in these rustic shelves. Although, the tea lights, at the same time that they are grieving, they are also a sort of hope symbol because we don’t know.” Originally, the piece consisted only of 43 postcards in a mesh bag. In a gallery talk Rodriguez gave on Tuesday, Diane Butler, director of the museum, shared with the audience that paper pieces are usually framed behind glass, but in this installation, the goal was for the art to be accessible to the audience. Thus, she explained, the piece is displayed not “like an artifact,” but rather as a “living piece that people should get involved with.” In order to enhance involvement with the real issue this piece represents, social media has played a big factor in opening this piece up to the BU community. The BU Art Museum’s Facebook page invites active participation with the work and the debate surrounding it. A post on the
page prompts students and others with questions like “If you were to send one of Ambra Polidori’s postcards, what would you write on it and to whom would you send it?” as well as “In what ways can art be an effective vehicle to political mobilization?” “We want to understand, or at least, we want to make people get involved in the debate behind forced disappearances,” Rodriguez said. “In this moment, our objective is to open up these spaces in which the University community can really speak their minds and one way is using social media.” The museum’s choice to exhibit a piece with such political significance appealed to undergraduate students like Larissa Flores, a sophomore majoring in biology. “I think [this piece] is really important and seeing it is really impactful for me because I’m Mexican myself and when this situation happened and I learned about it, it [really hurt] me because it’s happening to my people and my country,” Flores said. “The fact that [those who disappeared] want our country, my homeland, to be better — and this had to happen to them.”
Let this song be the anthem of Spring Fling — you’re going to have an amazing day with your friends, maybe even the best day ever. You want to make the most out of this experience, so allow the lyrics to provide inspiration for the day.
“Or Nah” — Ty Dolla $ign feat. The Weeknd, Wiz Khalifa and DJ Mustard Even if you don’t know who Ty Dolla $ign is, chances are you probably know this song; it has a good, chill vibe and features other popular artists. However, since The Weeknd and Wiz Khalifa won’t be at Spring Fling, it’ll be interesting to see if, and how, Ty Dolla $ign performs this song on his own.
“Donald Trump” — Mac Miller It’s almost like Miller was predicting the outcome of the 2016 presidential election with this track, as he raps, “Take over the world when I’m on my Donald Trump s**t, look at all this money, ain’t that some s**t.” This one’s a classic and the lyrics will help you laugh off nearly anything.
“Favorite Part” — Mac Miller feat. Ariana Grande This laid-back love song is off of Miller’s most recent album, “The Divine Feminine,” which shows us a different side to the artist as he sings instead of raps. Miller lays raspy and smoky vocals over the track with all of the things he loves about his girlfriend, Ariana Grande, who is featured on the track.
Some more songs: “Saved” — Ty Dolla $ign feat. E-40 “Wavy” — Ty Dolla $ign feat. Joe Moses “LA” — Ty Dolla $ign feat. Kendrick Lamar, Brandy and James Fauntleroy “Drop That Kitty” — Ty Dolla $ign feat. Charli XCX and Tinashe “Life Ain’t Easy” — Mac Miller “Loud” — Mac Miller “Knock Knock” — Mac Miller “Party On Fifth Ave.” — Mac Miller “Another Night” — Mac Miller Shawn Fleming/Design Assistant
From Chappelle to Schumer, comedy specials that are worth streaming Keep your study breaks short during finals week with our Netflix stand-up picks Rachel Greenspan Assistant Arts & Culture Editor With the stress of the end of the semester comes the need for relaxation and letting go, and for many students, relaxation comes in the form of Netflix. But watching your favorite TV show on Netflix is just about the worst thing you can do during a study break, when one episode becomes two, which becomes three and then, suddenly, it’s 4 a.m. and your final is in six hours. However, Netflix standup comedy specials are a great antidote to binge-watching: they provide a one-hour break and make the self-control to exit the window much easier. Here are some of Pipe Dream’s favorite Netflix specials, as well as why they’re worth the study break. Dave Chappelle — “The Age of Spin” and “Deep in the Heart of Texas” The name Dave Chappelle speaks for itself. Chappelle is an unrivaled comic legend, from his stand-up to his movie career to the critically acclaimed “Chappelle’s Show.” His comedy is made even more compelling by his almost decadelong break from the industry, after turning down a $50 million
contract to extend Chapelle’s Show in 2005. His two-part Netflix special, which premiered in March, lives up to the hype. In “The Age of Spin” and “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” we are introduced to an older, more rugged Chappelle — a comedian who knows he isn’t as socially aware as many of his fellow comics on issues like feminism or LGBTQ rights. In other words, he makes it clear that he hasn’t been around for a while. Chappelle frames each special with a theme, something that many stand-up comedians don’t do, or don’t do well. “The Age of Spin,” for example, is centered around a series of interactions Chappelle has had with Bill Cosby. While sometimes vaguely offensive, Chappelle thrives in his element, unafraid and unapologetically welcoming himself back to the stage. Jim Jefferies — “Freedumb” The set for “Freedumb,” filmed in Nashville, Tennessee, is a typical stand-up comedy stage. But in Jefferies’ performance, U.S. flags are draped behind him. He mocks America in a clever, if unoriginal, way — Jefferies is Australian. He opens the special by saying, “Alright, let’s start this shit.”
After some applause and laughter, he continues: “Bill Cosby.” The rest of Jefferies’ set goes on like this, almost mocking the entire genre of stand-up comedy — and, sometimes, it works. Other times, it doesn’t. In juxtaposition with Chappelle’s comedy — particularly in his discussions of Bill Cosby — Jefferies falls a bit flat. His Cosby jokes are obvious, but his other bits are far less cringe-worthy. In talking to the audience in a way that admits he knows he is performing, Jefferies draws attention to this divide between audience member and comedian, while simultaneously slashing it. There’s also just something very charming about hearing lamentations over Trump’s presidency from the mouth of an Australian. Amy Schumer — “The Leather Special” Though she’s been performing stand-up for over a decade, she’s become incredibly well-known in the last few years with the popularity of her Comedy Central series “Inside Amy Schumer” and her 2015 film “Trainwreck.” Because of her raunchy performances, the stakes were pretty high in creating
her first hourlong Netflix stand-up performance, “The Leather Special,” and it has proved to be polarizing with critics and fans alike. Like Jefferies’, Schumer’s special has its hits and misses; she seems comfortable — cocky, even — and isn’t afraid to tell her audience that she is here to stay. Schumer succeeds when she confidently asserts her political views and shows that, unlike Chappelle, she has real, passionate beliefs about what has been happening politically in our country at this moment. Jen Kirkman — “I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine)” Kirkman has flown relatively under the radar since her career as a writer and comedian began in the ‘90s, but her 2015 Netflix special brought her into the spotlight, and she is now considered to be part of the canon of best female comics. She jokes about being single as much as she does about being divorced, often lamenting the social life she has when all of her friends are married. It’s reminiscent of Amy Schumer’s early comedy in a way that makes both comics special. With both Schumer and Kirkman, self-deprecating jokes disguise what we know is true confidence, making their comedy fresh and bright.
Provided by Netflix
OPINIONS Thursday, May 4, 2017
<svg xmlns=”http://www.w3.org/2000/svg” xmlns:xlink=”http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink” version=”1.1” x=”0px” y=”0px” viewBox=”0 0 30 37.5” xml:space=”preserve”><g transform=”translate(-570 -380)”><g xmlns=”http://www.w3.org/2000/svg” xmlns:xlink=”http:// www.w3.org/1999/xlink”><path d=”M592,395.965v-0.036c0,0-1-2.929-7-2.929s-7,2.929-7,2.929v0.036V400c0,0,1.664-0.665,3.457,0 c1.315,0.488,2.697,1.153,3.543,2c0.848-0.847,2.23-1.512,3.545-2c1.791-0.665,3.455,0,3.455,0V395.965z”/><path d=”M597,393.082l21.153L585,384l-14,7.929l6.117,3.526c0.309-0.68,1.928-3.455,7.883-3.455c5.955,0,7.576,2.775,7.885,3.455 l3.115-1.797V398h-1v1h3v-1h-1V393.082z”/><polygon points=”596,400 595.5,408 597.5,408 597,400 “/></g></g><text x=”0” y=”45” fill=”#000000” font-size=”5px” font-weight=”bold” font-family=”’Helvetica Neue’, Helvetica, Arial-Unicode, Arial, Sans-serif”>Created by Hea Poh Lin</text><text x=”0” y=”50” fill=”#000000” font-size=”5px” font-weight=”bold” font-family=”’Helvetica Neue’, Helvetica, Arial-Unicode, Arial, Sansserif”>from the Noun Project</text></svg>
Senior Columns
Sarah Saad Columnist
I want to tell you a funny story about how I fell down in Psych 111, knocked over a girl’s MacBook Air, and ran out of the classroom (if you’re reading this, I’m sorry), or about the time I cried outside Rafuse for hours because my first test grade taught me economics does not equate to skimming through a copy of “Freakonomics.” I want to tell you about the time I came home for Thanksgiving, and in the middle of the meal, my mom pointed out a hickey and
Giovanna Bernardo Columnist
Sitting down to write this, I was a little overwhelmed. How do I condense the last four years — in all its blissful fun and true absurdity — into 600 words? I can’t count the innumerable experiences had, tears shed, laughs shared and trips to State Street made that have forged my path to this point. But that’s the reality of college isn’t it? While these four years are about the big things that help
that telling her it was from my neighbor only stressed her out more. Part of me wishes I could go over every detail, from the moment I drove up to Binghamton and realized the Old Union Starbucks will be the slowest wait, to where I am today, procrastinating a take-home final due tomorrow. But part of me realized that these memories will never be the same on paper, than they are within the person they have transformed me into. I thought my college experience would be perfect. I believed my happiness would come from the guest lectures I would take advantage of, my straight As, First Fridays,
friends that lacked drama, and other TV-esque things. Being that I willingly went to zero guest lectures, and those straight As are still a figment of my imagination, my happiness would only arrive once I was honest with myself. College was not what I thought it would be. It wasn’t the flawless experience I had wished for, and the more I continued to fight that truth, the more I continued to struggle and find happiness. I knew what made me happy, but I wasn’t sure if it was acceptable. Would these experiences lead to success? It wasn’t the TVesque things; in fact, it was everything but. It was the moments I
sat in the hallway with Ben around 2 a.m. as he tutored me until I gave up and would watch a lame YouTube video. The weekly CIW lunches with Jason, or late nights with Natalia and Radhi sharing stories until one of us would fall asleep. The nights spent in Tom and Marty’s, because how could we not be there to hear back-to-back Taylor Swift? The time Danielle and I walked to Basha’s because I needed to try Bing’s finest Lebanese cuisine. It was Sigma E-board meetings spent laughing, and the moment I met Ariel. After a 20:1 presentation when somebody would share their story, and being able to watch my residents aspire to achieve
their goals. The time my anxiety got the best of me, and Jack let me sleep on his futon. The fight against sexual assault, and the fight for equality. Or maybe even the sleepless nights where my friend would come down from his room to rub my back until I fell asleep. It was it all. I thought I knew what I wanted, but each person I met proved me wrong. Every day, the vision of what I wanted college to look like transformed into an experience greater than could envision. The raw moments of happiness, anxiety, failure, love and success taught me more about myself than I was prepared to know. Whether you hurt me, challenged me, or gave me more love than I
deserve, I thank you. It is you that allowed me to discover my strength, overcome the image of perfection, and live a raw, honest life. I wish I could relive these moments, but I know my time here is gone. Binghamton, thank you for giving me everything I didn’t know I wanted. To all of you who have touched me, I wish you too are able to let go of the image of perfection, and embrace everything but.
you to get your degree and a job after graduation, they’re also about all the little things too. My college career is just as defined by what I’ve learned in my major classes and the leadership positions I’ve held in my sorority, as it is by all those times procrastinating in CIW with Hannah and Zach, impromptu Moe’s trips with Elyse, nights dancing on the JT’s windowsill with Mallory, (almost) all-nighters in Bartle with Maddy, shooting the shit with Hallie, Friday afternoons gossiping while raiding Saad’s closet, heart-to-hearts with Michelle in Pasquale’s, and so much more. College is meant to prepare you for the real world through
things learned within a classroom and living on your own, but your time here is also an isolated four years that stands on its own. The experiences you have at Binghamton, both good and bad, are meant to shape you and help you grow. You’re going to make mistakes and take scary risks. Your preconceived notions about how the world works and what you think your college career will be like are going to be challenged and ultimately change — mine certainly were. I didn’t think I would get accepted as a writer for Pipe Dream, but took a risk, applied, and found an outlet that’s helped me to find my
voice, as well as strengthen my beliefs and writing. I was adamantly against Greek Life, but rushed on a whim, and not only found my niche with Sigma, but a family away from my real family. I’ve screwed up more times than I’d like to admit, under countless circumstances, but it’s always turned out alright because I’ve had friends and family to see me through. The important thing to remember is that growing in college is about learning from those misconceptions had and mistakes made in order to become a better version of yourself. With each and every one of the experiences I’ve undergone
here — good, bad and ugly — I’m well on my way to becoming the person I want to be. Thank you to all those who have gotten me here, with their unconditional love, support and encouragement. I can already hear the wrapup music, so here’s a list of those I owe a lot to: the Fab 5, Twin 241, Broome 503, the #awkwardlin, Sigma, Pipe Dream, those professors who’ve taught me how to think (not what to think), and anyone else I’ve forgotten or couldn’t include because of the word limit: I love you with my whole heart. Thank you. And to those I owe even more: To Elisa and Carolyn (and
by default Berto): you’ve been my role models for as long as I can remember. Thank you for helping me to be the person I know I’m capable of being through your advice and (tough) love. And lastly, to my parents: you’ve supported me in every way imaginable since the moment I was born. You’ve shown me exactly the type of people I want to be. Thank you doesn’t seem adequate, but thank you infinitely for everything nonetheless. I quite literally wouldn’t be here without you.
Defining talent in the internet era Decentralization of media lowers the bar, for better or worse Kristen DiPietra
Columnist
If the internet’s taught us anything, it’s that anyone can become famous, so long as they find their niche. In the past few years, pretty nobodies have made lucrative careers as Instagram models. Average funny people in the office decide to put their material out there and transform into YouTube sensations. A painfully mediocre lounge singer rises to fame with his song “Haven’t Met You Yet” and sustains a career destroying all of Sinatra’s hits. There’s no question that technology is changing the definition of talent, but what does that mean for us? While online entertainment exposes us to a wider range of styles and interests, it has also lowered the bar for what is considered entertaining or even intelligent. Social media has enabled us to construct our ideal personas laden with humor, filtered professional-looking photographs and trivial accomplishments that warrant the praise and affection of relatives, friends and a host of fake friends. Through this, we achieve a microcelebrity status. Before social media, no one really cared what everyday folks had to say. No one besides our parents would be interested in a black-and-white photo of ourselves in a gymnastics
HOW
DO
I
SUBMIT?
position. No one in their right mind would watch a man in a pink suit playing with garbage in a self-indulgent marathon or read a somebody’s page-long Facebook diatribe about the previous election. As social media has allowed a slew of average people to pervade the realm of importance, it has also left us with a more tangible record of our personalities, desires, politics and priorities. Our generation will be the first generation subjected to this intricate posthumous scrutiny of our tweets, Facebook accounts and whatever weird brain chip we’ll be wearing in 30 years. Although digging through Ellis Island archives, censuses and arrest records can help me construct a better picture of my heritage, I am forced to rely primarily on oral traditions to determine the
narratives of ancestors, which may not be entirely accurate. Your Great-uncle Gino, whom your grandmother calls a God-fearing man, was actually a notorious cattle thief in your homeland. People yearn to be remembered. The surface area on which an average person can now make a stain has augmented. And so each joke attempted by a mediocre comedian or disgruntled political tweet launched by a pseudointellectual is just our human compulsion to feel special. We’ve taken this validation to a new level, inciting entire careers based off of a meager or invisible presence of talent. And so I beseech you, my brothers and sisters in averageness, to strive for higher in what we accept as beautiful, entertaining or funny.
Refuse to elevate garbage excuses of parents, “MommyOFive” and “DaddyOFive,” who broadcast the abuse of their five children under the guise of comedy. Reconsider following amateur Instagram models or wannabe celebrities. Use your social media to scout legitimate talent, don’t delude yourself into thinking the pathetic dribblings of some pathetic YouTuber are of value. I know this is coming off as rather elitist, especially since I consider poop jokes to be Emmyworthy, but if we settle for humor and entertainment that is of a lower caliber, we risk dulling our sensibilities and our sense of what it means to have talent. — Kristen DiPietra is a junior double-majoring in English and human development.
Jorden James/Editorial Artist
Guest Column A full-length column that argues a particular point of view Can be a response to previously-printed columns 500-650 words in length Accompanied by a headshot portrait (taken by our photography staff)
Should end with a signature (e.g. From, Your Name) 200-500 words in length
— Giovanna Bernardo is a senior double-majoring in English and political science.
Letter to the editor: How we make our students safe Like all my fellow students, I find off-campus safety to be a big deal. We want to reside in and interact with the community without fear, and that should be encouraged. So I find the University’s postponing the downtown blue-light call box system installations to be a good first step. The system would have proven inadequate, redundant, and extremely costly. We are better off without it, and the University should not just postpone the initiative, but scrap it entirely because there are alternatives to blue-lights we must consider, although ultimately, the decision belongs to the community. One is the expansion of the Safe Ride program. While the existence of one stop downtown is a good first step, the Safe Ride program must expand to cover more areas downtown and on the West Side. Further, research has shown that suicide is the second leading cause of death for college students, behind accidents. Unfortunately, the University Counseling Center is illequipped to handle this crisis because of its short-term model of care and general lack of staff.
Letter to the Editor A response to any of the content in Pipe Dream, including opinions columns, editorials, news, arts and culture and sports stories
— Sarah Saad is a senior double-majoring in human development and women, gender and sexuality studies.
The UCC must return to a long-term care model wherein students see a counselor for longer than just one semester, because mental illness does not simply fade away in that time. Further, the University should hire more counselors, especially those of color. As of now, the discussion about where those funds will go is skewed so that the administration has more sway than the community. I do not find this appropriate. The University belongs to not just us, but to the community outside of it, to Johnson City and the city of Binghamton. We must expand the dialogue outside of the administration to them as well, so that they feel included, so that they aren’t resentful, as they are towards us now; because as much as these proposed initiatives help, it is only with community engagement that being offcampus will be truly safe. Jacob Hanna Binghamton University, State University of New York Class of 2020 Economic Policy Analysis Policy Researcher at Democracy Matters
Voices A free-form piece that shares your unique story or experience Less formally structured than a column, meant to share an experience in a meaningful way, not necessarily to argue a point Varying lengths Optionally accompanied by a headshot portrait (taken by our photography staff)
FFUN UN
Thursday, Monday, April May 3, 4, 2017 2017 Sloth is My Sin
Nate Walker
When Worlds Collide
Sudoku
Nate Walker
By The Mepham Group
Level: 1 2 3 4 Solution to Monday's puzzle
© 2017 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.
5/4/17
FOR RELEASE MAY 4, 2017
When Campus Power Goes Out
Singin' the Blues
Nate Walker
Nate Walker
THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 St. Joan of __ 4 Oscar hopeful 9 __ up; support from beneath or behind 13 Take a __ off; sit down 15 Window cover 16 Midwest state 17 Racing sled 18 British nobles 19 Secluded valley 20 Last will and __; document read after a death 22 Nuisance 23 Burial place 24 Highest club 26 Bits of parsley 29 Expert on plant life 34 Uris & Spinks 35 Nile or Rhine 36 Compete 37 Fighting force 38 Boston __ beans 39 Is exactly the right size 40 Dessert choice 41 Worrier’s stomach woe 42 Armada 43 Not as neat 45 Lustrous 46 __ Vegas 47 Terror 48 Family member 51 Getting smaller 56 Sad news item, for short 57 Pass out 58 On __; offered at a lower price 60 Soccer great 61 Say 62 Tongue-__; speechless 63 BPOE folks 64 Suspicious 65 “__ Miserables” DOWN 1 Laundry soap 2 Overwhelming defeat
by Jacqueline E. Mathews
Monday’s Puzzle Solved
3 Actor Nicolas 4 Gomez __; role for John Astin 5 Tiny bit of food 6 __ apart; undo 7 Not locked 8 Said again 9 Sty 10 Acting part 11 Has debts 12 Breathe heavily 14 Fate 21 Clothing 25 Automobile 26 Strikes with an open hand 27 Danger 28 Juliet’s love 29 Motorcyclist 30 Finished; done 31 Wall-climbing plants 32 Locations 33 Irritable 35 Marathon 38 Very happy 39 Bouquet seller 41 __ tree; in a difficult spot
©2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.
42 __ jacket; bulletproof vest 44 Pieces of china 45 Upper class 47 “Nothing could be __ than to be in Carolina in the...” 48 Sulk
49 50 52 53 54
Cain’s victim Dairy product Despise Ceremony Hammerer’s target 55 Delight 59 McMahon and Begley
ONLINE
Student athletes honored BUPIPEDREAM.COM/SPORTS Thursday, May 4, 2017
Grand slam lifts Bearcats
to second walk-off win
Offense keeps rolling, baseball downs Bonnies Rebecca Kiss/Assistant Photography Editor Freshman second baseman Justin Drpich hit his first career grand slam, fueling the Binghamton baseball team to a 10-6 walk-off victory over St. Bonaventure.
Matt Pilotti Pipe Dream Sports With one out and runners on second and third in a tie ballgame, the Binghamton baseball team appeared poised to win in walk-off fashion against St. Bonaventure. The Bonnies (22-16, 12-6 Atlantic 10) had to pick their poison between two of the Bearcats’ hottest hitters: senior first baseman Brendan Skidmore and freshman second baseman Justin Drpich. After intentionally walking Skidmore, St. Bonaventure put its fate in the hands of the freshman. The result mirrored that of a veteran: Drpich remained composed and
launched an opposite-field grand slam to right field, propelling the Bearcats (23-9, 9-2 America East) to a 10-6 victory over visiting St. Bonaventure. “I was just trying to come out and get something up in the zone,” Drpich said. “Get a good swing on it, hit a fly ball and just do the job and be a team player.” The Bearcats sent sophomore pitcher Robert Brown to the mound for a spot start. He excelled again in a starter’s role, surrendering only one hit in four innings of work. Complementing his work was the BU offense, as Binghamton held a 2-0 lead heading into the fifth inning. Once the Bearcats turned to
their bullpen, they could not maintain an advantage in the runs column with the Bonnies tying the score at 3 in the seventh off a home run from junior third baseman David Hollins. Binghamton responded in immediate fashion: senior right fielder Eddie Posavec singled and junior catcher Jason Agresti doubled down the left field line to drive in Posavec for a 4-3 lead. The hit was one of three of the day for Agresti, who continued to deliver in clutch situations. “Down the stretch, your best players have to be your best players,” said BU head coach Tim Sinicki. “[Agresti] is a guy we count on offensively and to drive in runs and he did exactly
that today.” Skidmore increased his teamleading RBI total by sending a ball off the wall to deep center that scored Agresti. Skidmore was credited with a double on the play, but two St. Bonaventure errors eventually allowed him to score as well. Binghamton took a 6-3 lead heading into the eighth, but it soon evaporated again. Junior pitcher Jake Erhard entered for tune-up work, but had a rough appearance. Facing only six batters, Erhard allowed four hits and three runs, which tied the score at six. To prevent more damage, Sinicki brought in senior reliever Nicholas Liegi. Despite escaping the jam in
the eighth, the ninth inning was tricky. A double with one out put the Bonnies in prime position to break the tie, but Liegi proved clutch, notching a strikeout and groundout back-to-back. The stage was set for another Binghamton walk-off victory. The ninth-inning lineup featured the Bearcats’ 2-3-4 hitters. Posavec led off with a single to create pressure and get the offense going. St. Bonaventure wanted no part in redshirt sophomore third baseman Justin Yurchak, intentionally walking him to face the clean-up hitter Agresti. Sinicki opted for Agresti to bunt, executing a perfect sacrifice to advance the runners
into scoring position with one out. After the Skidmore walk, Drpich delivered his first career grand slam — and walk-off home run — in style, and BU collected its second consecutive walk-off win. “We’re starting to feel really good as a team and I am excited to see what the future holds,” Drpich said. The Bearcats are now 15-3 when scoring the first run and 17-1 when leading after six innings. The team will look to increase its AE lead when it faces UMass Lowell on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for noon from the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.
Golderman tops BU goals record
Lacrosse star scores 44 in historic season
Grace Palumbo Assistant Sports Editor Just one day before breaking the Binghamton women’s lacrosse single-season goals record (41), sophomore attack Rebecca Golderman made it clear that the team’s success was her top priority. “Of course I would love to break the record, but at the end of the day, it’s a team sport, so I’m more worried about having our team [succeed] in the game [on April 29],” Golderman said. “Things didn’t go exactly as we’d hoped [this season], but it doesn’t mean we can’t end things on a high note.” Golderman’s unparalleled shooting success was not aimed toward breaking any records either. In fact, it was not until recently that Golderman found out about the possibility of
breaking the mark set by Beth Moore in 2011. “I didn’t know the record was 41 until there was a tweet about it, and I happened to see it there,” Golderman said. “I didn’t even realize I was that close, I kind of took it game by game and just did what I could do to help the team. It was never about my stats; I was just trying to help the team win.” Not only did Golderman surpass the previous BU record, but her ability to score 44 goals also powered her team to 6-11 overall for the season. Despite collecting four nonconference wins, the team still needs to become more well-rounded in the upcoming year. Even though Golderman has proved to be capable of carrying an offense, Binghamton ranked fourth of seven in the America East in assists per game (4.8). “Personally, I think I would
Caleb Schwartz/Pipe Dream Photographer Sophomore attack Rebecca Golderman looks to improve her assist total in the 2018 season after breaking the BU single-season goals record against Albany.
like to see my number of assists rise, because that means I’m helping my teammates score,” Golderman said. Golderman credited her teammates and coaching staff, as well as her parents and family, with influencing and inspiring her to achieve the level of success that she had this season. “I really couldn’t imagine being anywhere else,” Golderman said. “The coaching staff is great; they encourage me to be better in all aspects of life and sports every day.” Golderman’s brother attends BU as well, and he, along with her parents, attend the majority of her lacrosse games. “My family has always been my No. 1 supporters,” Golderman said. “They’re always encouraging me and picking me up whenever I have a bad day and just cheering me on. They also help me be the best I can be.” In addition to her list of athletic accomplishments, Golderman was inducted into the National College Athlete Honor Society this past week and she was accepted into the Decker School of Nursing. “I’m ready to take on the challenge of balancing it all,” Golderman said. “Playing sports helps me with my time management skills, it fills up my day, so I need to be more productive in the short amount of time I do have. If I didn’t play sports, I think I’d be worse off.” During their time off, she and her teammates will be playing lacrosse and training over the summer to prepare for their spring 2018 return. “They always say no offseason,” Golderman said. “[I’ll] keep playing lacrosse, trying to do whatever I can to stay in shape, [like] lifting and running.” Golderman is set to return to BU for her third season as a Bearcat in 2018. Along with junior attack Tiffany Ryan and sophomore attack Emily Yoo, the three will work to have a bounce back year spearheading the offense and hopefully reaching a postseason berth next spring.
Rebecca Kiss/Assistant Photography Editor After losing its previous matchup 7-6 in the regular season, the Binghamton men’s lacrosse team seeks redemption against UMBC in the semifinal of the America East Tournament today.Friday.
Men's lacrosse heads to AE Semis BU prepares for rematch against Retrievers Evan Cole Assistant Sports Editor In their first postseason appearance since 2014, the No. 2 seed Binghamton men’s lacrosse team will travel to Albany to take on No. 3 seed UMBC in the semifinals of the America East (AE) Tournament. After winning their previous meeting 7-6 and snapping the Bearcats’ eightgame win streak, UMBC (6-7, 4-2 AE) offers a redemption game for the Bearcats (10-4, 4-2 AE), with higher stakes. BU head coach Kevin McKeown will make his postseason debut in his first year as a head coach, exemplifying the program’s sharp turnaround. The Bearcats improved their record by six overall wins in comparison to last year, and much of their turnaround has been attributed to McKeown’s staff and the team’s upperclassmen. “Our seniors have really done a great job in embracing the new coaching staff,” McKeown said. “Anything that we’re doing that’s different from [what] they had done previously, they’ve done a great job of holding our teammates accountable. I think
that’s really been a key for us this year.” Both McKeown and redshirt senior attack Tom Moore bring invaluable postseason experience to a Binghamton program which has not played in May for three years. In 2004, McKeown anchored an elite Bearcat defense to the AE Championship game. McKeown also clinched a postseason berth for Binghamton as interim head coach in 2011. Moore was a freshman on a Denver team which advanced to the final four in 2013. While the team is thrilled to be playing in postseason, McKeown and Moore have reminded the team to keep things in perspective. “Everybody’s really amped up,” Moore said. “The biggest thing, even when I was at Denver, is we just look at it as just another game. We don’t want to look at it as an impossible last game of the season.” While the Bearcats’ roster has been mostly void of playing in the postseason, their schedule has presented tough opponents and a tough atmosphere which provide a playoff feeling to otherwise less important games. “Playing Syracuse in a big,
high-energy environment was good preparation for [the playoffs],” McKeown said. “I think our guys will be ready to go.” Binghamton relinquished a 4-1 lead to the Retrievers back on April 15 and eventually a late one-goal lead to mark one of its toughest losses of the season. Moore was held in check for only two goals, an unprecedented mark for a player who averages over four points per game. Senior goaltender Tanner Cosens logged eight saves, but multiple turnovers and failure to manufacture stops allowed UMBC to slowly complete its comeback. The Bearcats are looking to have a more focused and poised approach to adjust to the Retrievers’ style of play. “We want to get that ball off the ground and get it out of our zone, and let our offense have the opportunity to play,” Cosens said. “[We] played a lot of defense, specifically in the third quarter against UMBC last time.” Binghamton’s opportunity against UMBC is this Thursday, May 4 in Albany. Faceoff from the Tom and Mary Casey Stadium is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.